


Princess in Peril

by Dellessa, thepheonixqueen



Series: Unforeseeable [2]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M, Mech Preg, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-24
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 20:01:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1150184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellessa/pseuds/Dellessa, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepheonixqueen/pseuds/thepheonixqueen





	Princess in Peril

Prism watched the mechs move about the party, dancing, chatting. It was all very overwhelming. He liked dancing, but in truth all of the very big mechs made him nervous. They loomed over him, and he knew that most only showed interest in him because of his creators. He was not the heir, but Megatron would listen to him...and by extension his future mate. It was off putting. He wanted to be loved for himself, but that seemed a far off dream.

No one ever seemed to want to get to know him, and even the compliments he received were all the same. If he heard one more comment about ‘how lovely he was, how graceful he was, how kind he was’ then he was going to scream.

The streams of gifts were always the same as well. Sweets, goodies, polishing cloths and scented polish from the bolder ones. Nothing personal, nothing that showed that any of them really knew him, or even cared to know him.

It was discouraging. He desperately wanted what his creators had. To be loved and treasured for himself. That would be a wonderful thing. Perhaps it was not to be though. Most mech could not hope to be so fortunate.

A shadow fell across him, and Prism looked up, frowning at the Con before him. He was as large as Megatron, and just as old. “Onslaught,” he inclined his helm, hiding a frown.

“Prism.” The mech held his hand out expectantly.

“A pleasure to finally meet you. You are lovelier than I had heard. Truly you are the jewel of Lord Megatron’s court.”

Prism sighed a little to himself, but smiled. “You are too kind, Lord Onslaught.”

Onslaught pressed a kiss to Prism’s servo but did not let go. “I had hoped to have a private word with you, Lady Prism.”

Prism bristled, he was not a femme. Although...enough mecha mistook him for one. He did not bother to correct Onslaught, “A word about what, my lord?”

Onslaught smiled, but it never reached his optics. “This is far too public a place for the discussion I would like.”

Prism stared, digesting what the mech was asking for. “I don’t think that anything else would be...appropriate.”

“I do not see how it could not be,” Onslaught said, looking him up and down.

“Prism? Could you come over here, Carrier wants to see you. Sire, is going to make his speech.”

Prism gave his much larger younger sister a grateful smile. “Oh, of course. Excuse me, Lord Onslaught.”

Onslaught gave a tight smile, and bowed. “Of course, Lady Prism. Lord Rapidfire.”

Rapidfire bristled, her doorwings standing up high on her back, “What did you call me?” Her optics narrowed dangerously, and Onslaught only looked back in confusion.

Prism opened his mouth to correct the mech in his error, but shut it with a snap. He knew how his sister was when her ire was raised. Anything he said was only going to make matters worse.

“I only---” Onslaught began.

“OBVIOUSLY I am a femme. I’m not sure what your issue is, or why you think it is a good idea, but so help me you do not want me to challenge you to a duel, oldtimer.”

“Rapidfire, refrain from threatening our guests,” Megatron said as he walked up, although he looked far too amused to truly mean it. It was no secret that there was no love lost between the two mechs.

“Lord Megatron,” Onslaught bit out, making it sound like an insult. “You are looking....well.”

“I have two Consorts who would be upset if I did not. If you will excuse me, I have other duties to attend to.”

“Of...course, Lord Megatron. Lady Rapidfire, my sincerest apologies. I meant no offense.”

Prism watched as his sister stared at Onslaught. Rapidfire was not one of the most forgiving mecha. He reached out and lightly touched her servo. She looked back and gave a small wink. “Offense may not have been meant but it was taken, /Lady// Onslaught.”

Prism heard Onslaught growl, but he did not say anything in response. Prism could not help but take that as a bad sign and wonder what exactly the mech wanted.

“I shall talk to you later, Prism,” Onslaught finally called as they left.

Prism didn’t protest as Megatron pushed him in front of them, and show the mech a dirty look. “Please stay away from him, Prism, he is a danger.”

Prism’s wings twitched, “I am sorry, sire. I did not mean---”

“I know you did not sparkling. I just worry for you. You are all dear to me, and I do not want something to happen to you.”

Prism’s wings flattened, he didn’t have to be told to know he was the weakest link. He was small and had little aptitude for fighting. “I love you too, sire,” Prism said meekly.

“Don’t feel too down,” Rapidfire said. “He’s a jerk. It’s just that he is a dangerous jerk.”

“Crude Rapidfire, but accurate. Prism, did Onslaught say what he wanted?”

Prism shook his helm. “He didn’t, Sire. He just said he wanted to talk to me, in private. I...I didn’t like the way he was looking at me when he said it.”

Rapidfire stopped and gave Prism a look, “How was he looking at you?”

“Like creator looks at fresh Tin-Tarts.”

Rapidfire and Megatron exchanged a scowl. “Stay away from him,” Megatron said.

“I wasn’t planning on talking to him in the first place, he just came up to me,” Prism said frowning at them both. “I will stay close to you, or leave. I am sure creator would like some company. He was having trouble getting Spectrum to recharge when I left the tower.”

Megatron’s features softened at the mention of his youngest sparkling. “He is fussy.”

“You are not telling me anything I do not know, sire.”

Megatron looked down at Prism, a far away look in his optics, “You were always a good sparkling, so quiet and small.”

“Sire!” Prism blushed and looked to the side. “I am not a sparkling anymore. I am a grown mech.”

Rapidfire laughed, “Are you sure, /Lady// Prism?”

Prism blushed and Megatron laughed. “Do not tease your brother, Rapidfire. Prism, you will always be my sparkling. You were so tiny when we were finally allowed to bring you home.”

“So I’ve been told,” Prism said squinting at them both. “Did you really need me for something or were you just rescuing me from Onslaught?”

“Your grand creators have arrived we thought you would like to see them, your carrier will be bringing them down as soon as Spector is put to recharge. And the speech,” Megatron said, and winked at Prism.

“I know you how much you love those.”

“I will not lie, I do enjoy it.”

“As much as the poetry you write for carrier?” Rapidfire snickered.

“Mmmm....that is far more rewarding.”

Rapidfire blinked at him for a moment, “Ew...didn’t need to hear that.”

Megatron gave a wicked smirk, “As you don’t get up to similar things with...now what was his name...oh yes; Skyflight. Skywarp and Fireflight’s oldest. Didn’t you get caught in a supply closet with him?”

Rapidfire blushed and looked away. “Sire! You weren’t supposed to know about that! Who told you!”

“I have my ways, Rapidfire. As long as you make an honest mech of him, you have my blessing. Skyflight is from a good clan.”

She perked up, “Really? I...oh! Thank you sire!” She flung herself at Megatron nearly bowling him over in the process. “Thank you so much.”

Megatron laughed, hugging her back. “I hope he brings you happiness.”

“He will. I---oh frag I was so scared to ask,” she babbled on sounding not unlike Bluestreak. “I was so very, very worried you would say no, and I really love him.”

Prism stared. This was all news to him. “Skyflight? Really?”

“Yes, really,” Rapidfire said, squinting at her brother. “Do you have a problem with it?”

“No, I can’t say that I do.”

Rapidfire smiled, “I’m glad. He is such a good mech. He loves me! And I love him so much!”

Megatron smiled, “Good. I will add the announcement to my speech.”

The trio walked to the raised dais when Megatron’s throne as well as the two smaller thrones for his consorts. Bluestreak and Skydive looked amazing, highly polished with intricate inlays that decorated their frames. “Are you alright, Prism?”

“I am fine, carrier.”

“Good, Jazz and Prowl will be happy too see you, sweetling,” Bluestreak said.

“It has been too long,” Prism murmured.

Megatron stood and the crowd around them became quiet. “Mechs, Femmes, it is a happy occasion that has brought us together. Soon one of my mechlings will be striking out on his own. I am proud to announce the betrothal of my third child, Dropzone.”

The mech in question climbed the dias, followed by his intendeds, Stratoburst and Novastar. They were both large for seeker’s showing their mixed heritage.

“It is our honor,” Stratoburst said, bowing deeply.

Megatron gave them a small smile. “They will be moving to Vos after their bonding trip during which they will be conducting a scientific exploration of several planets while they are away.”

There was applause at the end of his announcement. Megatron held up his servos and the room quieted. “I am also pleased to announce a very recent turn of events. My daughter Rapidfire and Skyflight will also be celebrating an upcoming bonding. The details are still being refined but let us begin the ball and celebrate the new unions.”

The music started back up and Prism drifted to the corner looking for a place to sit. He was envious of his siblings, they had found happiness. Freefall would miss Dropzone dearly, but they had long prepared for that eventuality.

He watched his carrier stand as Prism’s grandcreators approached him. Jazz held the hand of a mechling not much older than Prism’s youngest sibling. It was a hard thing to get used to.

“I see they left you alone again,” a voice whispered, far, far to close for Prism’s comfort.

Prism tried not to tremble as he looked up, “L-lord Onslaught...t-to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I still need to have a private conversation with you.”

Prism looked around trying to see a way to get past Onslaught. “Now…is not a good time. I need to go and congratulate my siblings on their bonds. It would be rude not too.”

Onslaught smiled, a dark and twisted smile that made Prism shrink back against the wall. “I am afraid, little mech, that I must insist.”

Onslaught suddenly lunged forward, while at the same time all the lights in the room went out. Prism screamed and then everything went black.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Bluestreak frowned, he had been looking for his eldest in the crush of mecha and could not seem to locate him. It was very...peculiar, and unlike Prism to slip away without telling his creators. One near abduction had broken him of the habit of sneaking away.

“Are you sure he is here?” Prowl asked, “Perhaps he met some friends.”

“I am sure, creator. Prism is very...shy. He is also very responsible.”

Jazz frowned, “If he isn’t here then...perhaps we should talk to Megatron and have the guards look for him.”

Bluestreak’s wings dropped, and his field was full of worry and concern. “We should. Megatron said something about Onslaught harassing my mechlet. What if he did something to him?”

“He wouldn't dare!” Bluestreak said. “He---oh...we need to talk to Megatron. What if something has happened.”

Prowl looked at Bluestreak and Jazz, “Wait, here. I will go get Megatron. Stay here and keep and optic out for Prism.”

Prowl wended his way through the crowds looking for where Megatron had been last spotted as he worked to soothe the crowd after some idiot had played with the lights. Finally, seeing the large frame that had used to inspire such fear he moved over. “Lord Megatron, Bluestreak needs to see you. It is urgent.”

Megatron looked at Prowl and nodded. They began to head towards the dais where Jazz and Bluestreak were waiting, Skydive hurrying up.

“He’s gone,” Bluestreak warbled. “I have looked everywhere for him. I can’t find our sparkling.”

“Bluestreak, calm yourself. Who is missing?”

“Prism! I can’t find Prism. He is not here. W-we looked everywhere and I sent some of the guards to check his rooms. He’s gone.”

Megatron’s optics brightened and he cursed. “Onslaught. Rapidfire caught him trying to corner Prism, and the mech tried to get him to go off with him alone.”

Bluestreak’s optics blanched. “Why...what would he want with my bitlet? H-he’s not in line to inherit. Why would he take him? Oh, Primus. he could hurt him. He could be hurt somewhere. We have to find him!”

Megatron scowled, “We will find him. Prowl, Jazz, tend to Blue and Dive.”

Jazz and Prowl nodded as Megatron stormed to one of the guards by the door. “Alert the Guard Commander. No one leaves without permission! Lord Prism is missing. We suspect that Onslaught has abducted him.”

The guard looked horrified for a long moment before he snapped a salute and barked, “Yes, Lord Megatron!”

The guards searched the palace and the surrounding grounds, but found no sign of either mech. There was real concerned when they returned to Megatron after half of a joor searching.

They finally returned to report back to Megatron looking shaken. “We found no sign of him, my lord,” one offered. “Onslaught’s transport left long before we closed the grounds. What would you have us do sir?”

Megatron was silent, “Contact Onslaught’s home. We will take it from there.”

The guard bowed low, “As you wish, my lord.”

The guard headed out the door and as soon as he was gone, Bluestreak collapsed into his creator’s arms weeping. “My sparkling! My sparking! Oh, my sparkling! What has he done to my sparkling!?”

Megatron hurried to Bluestreak’s side while his creators tried to comfort him. “We will find him Bluestreak. If Onslaught so much as scratches his paintjob, I will have his helm!”

Bluestreak continued to weep and sob, making Megatron more determined to wreak his revenge on Onslaught for distressing his beloved Consorts so much. He was about to leave to go with the guards when the doors opened again, allowing Rapidfire, Dropzone and Freefall. “We have sent the younger sparklings to berth. What is going on? Where is Prism?”

“Prism is missing,” Megatron finally said, “We believe Onslaught has taken him.”

“What?!?!” Rapidfire shouted, “How!?!?! Why?”

“We do not know, bitlet. You need to calm yourself. Anger is not going to bring Prism back home anytime sooner.” Megatron said, a rumble in his own voice. It was obvious he was barely controlling his own rage.

“I’m going to kill that slagger,” she said.

“Not if I do first,” Megatron said.

“Where is the fragger?”

“The guards and I are going to search his home now. Don’t worry, we will find him.”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism sluggishly turned his helm trying to figure out where he was, and why he was moving. This was definitely not in his berth by any means. He groaned, “Uggh, where am I?”

“So good to see you are awake,” Onslaught purred somewhere outside of Prism’s peripheral vision. Prism tried to move and began to panic as he realized that he could not.

“W-what is going on. Let me go.”

“Mmmm....I’m afraid I can’t do that little mech. Not right now.” Onslaught swam into his sight and reached out rubbing the inside of Prism’s thigh.

“Please. My creators will be looking for me. M-megatron will kill you.”

Onslaught laughed, “No, he won't kill me. Not if he ever wants to see his ‘precious sparklling’ ever again.”

Prism trembled as Onslaught moved his servo up to his panel and began to tug at it impatiently. “Open up, you spoiled brat or I am going to rip it off and you will stay open to me.”

Prism was torn, he didn't know what he should do. “Please! Let me go! I...won't tell. I’ll say I went for a walk. Please.”

Onslaught laughed, “Why would I do that?”

He dug his fingers into the edge of Prism’s interface panel and began to tug. He would have ripped it off completely if Prism had not snapped it open. Onslaught hummed in appreciation. “Still sealed, how very...surprising.”

Prism whimpered, his optics welling with lubricant. It dribbled down his cheeklplates. “Please don't do this.”

“Once I’m done with you no one else will want you.”

Prism screamed as Onslaught climbed atop of him and opened his own panel, a huge spike emerging from it. It looked far too big to fit in him. “Please! No! Don’t do this! Please! Please!”

Onslaught smirked, “You scream so prettily. I am going to enjoy this.”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism sobbed as he curled around himself. He hurt so badly, and he could still feel...fluids...on him. He wanted his carrier.

And a medic. He hurt inside. It felt like he had ripped, but it just hurt too much to check to see. His valve...burned. Onslaught had taken him over and over. He had even threatened to rip out Prism’s spike if he did not shut up.

Prism had no doubt that the mech would do it too, not after the pain he had already inflicted on Prism’s frame.

“Get up,” Onslaught snapped as he came into the room. “We are going to take a...walk. I need to send a message to your creators.”

Prism tried to move, but his frame did not want to cooperate. He began to cry again as he tried to get up, not wanting to anger Onslaught.

Onslaught growled and grabbed Prism by his arm and dragged him off the berth. Prism cried out as he dragged and his doorwings banged off the doorframes. He was pulled down a ramp and onto a filthy street.

Prism looked about with wide optics, there were no landmarks he recognized. The place was hideous and run down. Nowhere near where he had ever been allowed to go!

“Why are w-we here?”

Onslaught laughed, “I want to show your creators what will happen to you if they don’t legalize our bonding. I think they will readily agree given the choice.”

“I d-don’t understand,” Prism whispered, shaking.

“If they don’t agree I will leave you to the empties and let your creators watch you be torn apart,” Onslaught purred, seemingly excited by that prospect.

“P-please don’t do this. H-have mercy.”

“You will get none from me.”

Empties moved along the shadows of the filthy alleyway, staying out of optic range for the most part. a few of the bolder ones darted closer and looked the two wealthy mechs warily.  
Onslaught watched them slowly edge closer and jerked Prism up by one arm before tossing him a little bit in front of him. “Come and get it!”

Prism gasped and looked around frantically as the empties moved closer, their dim optics menacingly close. “No! get away! Help me! Someone, Anyone! Help!”

He darted, running before Onslaught could grab him. The empties lunged at him, but he had speed on his side and ran through the narrow alleyways. He could hear Onslaught yelling behind him, but eventually even that faded. He kept running until he felt like he was going to drop.

He couldn’t stop though, not with the monsters running behind him. He hurt. He hurt so bad, and finally his legs gave out. He fell to the ground, and blacked out.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Sunstreaker wrinkled his nose as they walked through the slums. He would never set ped in this slagpit if it weren’t for the fact that one of the only decent dealers in his very needed art supplies dealt down here and his brother couldn’t pick out what he needed without having to come back three times to get it all the way he wanted it. It was just easier to force himself into the trip once or twice a stellar to resupply.

A loud snap from a side alley made him freeze and draw the small laserpistol that was all that the former Autobot was legally allowed to have. Sideswipe paused in front of him, “Sunny? What’s up?”

“I heard something. And don’t call me Sunny!”

The sound came again, making Sunstreaker frown, and move into the shadow of the alley. In the dirt, grime, and rust a small Praxian was sprawled. Empties surrounded him, trying to pull off his armour. One had ripped off one of his doorwings, and was biting at it trying to get the energon from it.

Sunstreaker fired his pistol. Most of the empties fled, including the one with the door wing. He shot those that didn’t flee, and knelt next to the little Praxian. He turned him over and was shocked. He was beautiful.

“Frag, he’s still online. Why would someone dump a pleasurebot like him out here?” Sideswipe mused.

“Maybe he ran away from his pimp,” Sunstreaker shrugged and picked up the slight figure. He was light, and had finer armour than Sunstreaker had seen in an age. “He needs a medic.”

“Yeah, I guess. We’ll need to get him to a discrete one if he is trying to flee from a pimp. You know that the Pimp is probably looking for him, a sweet mech- is it a mech? It looks like a femme to me.”

“Pretty sure he is a mech. You’re right though, he is beautiful. Must have had a bad pimp. Most who had a mech like this would make sure they were well taken care of.”

“That is very true. So what are we going to do with a half-offlined pleasuremech?”

Sunstreaker looked at the beautiful but slack features. “I want to paint him. He would make a beautiful model.”

“Yeah, lets get him fixed and take it from there. Yah think Minerva could swing it?” Sideswipe asked, “I mean, maybe we could convince him to stick around and be a model for you. We could keep him safe. Better than going back to being a pleasuremech.”

“Yeah, sounds like a plan,” Sunstreaker agreed. “I know I could find some buyers for paintings of him. If not, slag, Swindle is always willing to buy them. Even if he will give me a slagging bad price.”

Sideswipe nodded. It had been a relief when they were able to finally buy themselves free from Swindle. It wasn’t like he could set their price high. Not when the prices were monitored by the state, and closely monitored. Neither of them could carry. It made them less than desirable. Most mechs could do both, but their gestation tanks had been removed during their gladiator days, and the damage had been great enough that a replacement was not even an option.

Swindle had been quite disappointed that he couldn’t use them as breeders to rent out despite it being illegal by the laws Megatron had set up. Swindle however hadn’t cared but the learning that neither of them could carry, only sire had ruined his plan.

Swindle’s greed had been mollified by his discovery of Sunstreaker’s art and Sideswipe’s own shady business dealing made him a valuable asset. He made sure to get every credit out of them he could, causing them to have to secretly hoard credits to buy their freedom at the same time, since neither would leave the other.

The mech in his arms moaned, his optics flickering and unfocused, “Where am I?” A soft voice asked, full of static.

Sunstreaker did not stop walking.

“You were attacked by empties. We drove them away and we are taking you to a medic,” Sideswipe said, “Were you running from your pimp? Did he hurt you?”

The mech looked up at them in confusion, until a sort of resignation had edged across his features. “Y-yes. My n-name is Moonbow. He hurt me. He was going to kill me.”

“We will keep you safe then,” Sunstreaker rumbled, and held the mech tight until they reached Minerva’s stoop.

Minerva was a good femme, a neutral, who would repair anymecha who came to her. She had never turned a mecha away and was willing to work on payment if necessary. Sideswipe knocked on the door and Minerva opened the door, gasping at the sight of the small mech. “Primus! What happened? Who is this?”

Sunstreaker walked inside, setting the small mech on a medical berth. “He says his name is Moonbow. We found him in an alley, looked like he got attacked by empties while he was fleeing an abusive pimp.”

Minerva gave a bitter laugh, “There is no such thing as a Pimp who is not abusive. Probably was that slagger Lockjaw I bet.”

Moonbow fell in and out of consciousness as the medic scanned him and hooked up the scanning device. He whimpered as Minerva began to work on his wing joint.

“I’m going to have to fabricate a new doorwing. It is going to take a few sols. I would like to keep him here until then. I think a nanite soak would do him a world of good. His self repair should take care of most of it...but there seems to be some damage to his valve lining. There is still remnants of his valve seal. It looks like he was taken, and violently so by a very...large mech.“

Sunstreaker frowned at that, “So they had not used him before?”

“It’s not uncommon with the pricier pleasure-mechs. They will auction off their seals.”

Sideswipe nodded, “Yeah, poor mechs. Often they are sold the same way to a client. Hmm, that may have been what happened. A pretty little mech like this? He probably was raised to be sold to some mech as a ‘consort’ which basically meant being a private pleasure-mech and breeder.”

Sunstreaker scowled and lightly pet the small mech’s helm. “Poor little mech. No one should lose their seals in such a way.”

Minerva nodded, “I quite agree. It is deplorable.”

“Someone spent a lot on his ornamentation....never seen so much filigree and opals. It’s tasteful though...but his chromites...I’ve never seen a mech coloured like this before,” Sunstreaker mused.

“It’s very rare,” Minerva agreed. “I can only say I’ve seen a couple Opalites in my lifetime. I’d say he’s a lucky mech, but it was probably part of why he wound up in this condition. There...the joint is fixed. Could one of you carry him to the nanite tank? He needs to soak awhile.”

Sunstreaker scooped the mech up again, still shocked at how light he was. He took him to the back room, and settled him into the shallow pool, and activating the magnets along the back to keep him from slipping in completely. Moonbow recharged through it all. He must have been exhausted.

Poor little mech. He must have had a sol from the pit. Auctioned off like a piece of property, then violently raped by his new ‘owner’ and when he tried to flee, he was attacked by empties.

He had to wonder how hard of a life the little mech had had. What kind of education had he been given? Had he even been given an education?

He was going to write to Skydive and complain that more was not being done to eradicate the illegal slave trade and deal with the empties.

The little mech groaned, “Where am I?”

“You are in a safe place. We’ve taken you to a medic. She’s working on fabricating a new doorwings for you.”

“I hurt, what is...this....” He looked down, lifting a gel covered arm.

“Nanite gel. It will help your self-repair work faster.”

“Oh.” The little mech looked up, fear in his optics. “What are you going to do with me?”

“For right now, we are going to get you repaired. Then we will take you home until we can help you get back on your peds. Is there anyone that we can contact?”

Bright optics looked away, “No. No one who would want me now. I’m dirty and worthless.”

Sunstreaker frowned, “You are not dirty or worthless. It took a lot of courage to make a run for it. You should be proud.”

The little mech whimpered, “No...I am worthless. He---he took my seals and I will never get them back.” He shook and started crying leaving Sunstreaker at a loss of how to fix this.

“Shhh....it will be fine. We will protect you then. You can stay with us.”

The mech’s crying trickled off to a pitiful whimpering. It was a sound that cut right through Sunstreaker’s spark. “You are so brave, please don’t think otherwise.”

“I’m not brave. I am not anything. You should have let me offline. I am no use to anyone now.”

‘Don’t say such things! You are brave. I couldn’t let you offline, you can’t give up on yourself. You will see. It will get better!”

“No it won’t. No one will ever want me. I am dirty now.”

“You’re not dirty. It will get better. You can come home with me and my twin. You can help around the store and the house until we can get you set up on your own.”

The mech looked up at him, confused, “You don’t even know me. Why would you do that for a stranger? I don’t understand.”

“I want to get to know you. You are beautiful, and you are //Brave//. You are a good mech. I can tell. And...it is the right thing to do.”

Moonbow stared up at the mech, a look of relief washing over him. “You will protect me?”

“We will. I promise.”

Moonbow stared at him for a long moment and then burrowed against his chestplates, sobbing brokenly.

Sunstreaker stared at the mech as he sobbed and then gently stroked his helm. “Shh. It is okay. You are safe now. You will be alright now. No one is going to hurt you while I am around.”

Moonbow just continued to weep until at last he drifted into recharge in the nanites.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Sideswipe carried the little Praxian as they walked towards their home, it was several sols since they had found him, and he was finally repaired. The shiny silver of his new doorwing slowly taking on the colour of the rest of his plating.

He was small, and fragile, making Sideswipe worry that he would break him if he held onto him too tightly.

“How is he doing? Sunstreaker asked, peering over at him.

“I am not sure. He is so….fragile. How could anyone treat such a sweet mech so badly.”

“I know. He seems like a very sweet kid.”

“Kid’s the right word. He can't be more than barely past his youngling frame. They probably had the auction arranged as soon as he matured. He probably hasn’t even settled into his frame yet.”

Sunstreak vented, “We will make it up to him somehow. He deserves a safe place to exist.”

Sideswipe glanced at his brother, he could tell that he was already very attached. “We can. We will. I cleaned up the spare berthroom for him.”

“Good,” Sunstreaker said. He looked tense until they finally reached their door. It was, luckily in one of the better part of town. A place where a mech wouldn’t have to worry about getting mugged the moment they stepped outside.

“I hope he will be happy here. He is so wounded, Sides. He is so sad and vulnerable. I… I want to see him smile. A real smile. I want to paint him smiling and happy.”

“It would be nice to see him happy. He is so sad. He just seems so lost all the time.”

They went into their building and Sideswipe carried the little mech into the spare berthroom. “He is very pretty. I wonder where the color came from.”

“He is beautiful. He will be an excellent model.”

Sunstreaker pulled back the berth’s mesh, and tucked the mech in once Sideswipe had laid him down. Moonbow did not stir.

“He’s exhausted,” Sideswipe murmured.

“Can you blame him?”

“Not at all,” Sideswipe murmured, and watched Sunstreaker pull up a chair. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t want him to be alone when he wakes up,” Sunstreaker said, and pulled out a small sketch pad from his subspace.

Sideswipe smiled as Sunstreaker began to sketch the small mech. It was always a good sign when Sunstreaker was inspired to create art. His art usually sold pretty well and he was always happiest when he was creating.

He stood back and watched as Sunstreaker first sketched the small mech as he was. Sunstreaker then began to sketch another version that Sideswipe recognized as being based on an old Earth story that they had heard when they were on Earth.

Moonbow was sketched on a human style berth, with delicate coverings and a sharp shard of crystal lying next to a limp servo.

“So beautiful,” Sideswipe murmured, breaking the silence.

Moonbow stirred, opening his optics slowly. “Where are we?” He sat up slowly, hugging the mesh to his chest.

“Home,” Sunstreaker said. “This is your room, we didn’t want you to wake up alone and be scared. Do you feel well enough to see the rest?”

Moonbow was quiet as he thought about it. “I---I think so.”

Sunstreaker offered his hand, “Come then.”

Moonbow took the hand that Sunstreaker offered him and rose to wobbly peds.

“Our berthroom is across the hall. If you need us just knock. We are both light sleepers. There is a living area on this floor as well, and my studio is on the floor above.”

Moonbow looked puzzled, “Studio?”

Sunstreaker smiled. “I am an artist. I paint and do a few sculptures. If you feel up to it, I would like it if you could model for me.”

Moonbow blushed and looked away adorably. “I...I don’t know. I have never done anything like that. I might not be any good at it.”

Sunstreaker looked at him with a soft smile. “You will do fine. I can tell.”

Moonblow bushed even brighter, “I would like that then. C-can I see your work?”

Sunstreak nodded, “There are a few paintings hanging in the common room.” He led the small mech down the hall and into a big room that opened up to a skylight. There was a flight of stairs off to the side leading to a loft.

“Oh, this is lovely,” Moonbow said, looking up, and then gasped when his optics fastened on the large painting that took up much of one wall. “Beautiful. Is that Praxus?”

“Yes. I did my apprenticeship there when I was a youngling. It was a beautiful city then. They are working to rebuild but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

“You are very talented. This is beautiful.”

“Thank you. So, that is our home. Why don’t we take you back to your room and you get a good recharge in. We will see you in the morning.”

The little Praxian’s doorwings canted to an angle, showing his uncertainty. “Thank you then. I appreciate all that you have done for me.”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Megatron watched his consorts, huddled together and miserable as they waited for any news on Prism. Bluestreak had cried himself to sleep the sol before. Megatron was trying to hold back his grief and anger at the situation for their sakes. They were both a mess, and he could not blame them at all.

The door opened, admitting one of the guards, “My lord...can we...can we speak to you alone please?” The guards optics flicked to the consorts. This could not be any good news.

Bluestreak stared at the guard while Skydive straightened up and said, “Anything you need to say to him, you can say in front of us if it relates to my sparkling.”

The guard looked uneasy. “My Lord, Lord Consort. I am hesitant to say, but one of the guards on patrol may have found something pertaining to the missing prince.”

Bluestreak lets out a small whimper and Skydive puts an arm around him. “Please tell us, nothing can be worse that not knowing.”

The guard turned, and motioned for the other to bring in an item wrapped in cloth. He unwrapped it, revealing one of Prism’s doorwings. There was bite marks all along the edge. “This was found with the empties. I am sorry, my Lord, Lord Consorts. From what we can tell the prince did not survive the encounter.”

Bluestreak keened, “No! No he can’t be. I would have felt it if he was dead. He can’t be gone. He can’t be gone. Noooo!” He cried out, collapsing against Skydive. The flier pulled the small mech close, rubbing between his doorwings. “I would know if he was offline,” Bluestreak whispered brokenly.

Skydive continued to rub between his doorwings, “Blue, shhh. Oh, Blue, I am so sorry.”

“No! No! No! No! He is not gone! He is alive. I know he is.”

Megatron looked at his Consorts sadly, “Skydive, take Bluestreak to our quarters and have the medics give him something. I will inform his creators of the new….development.”

Skydive nodded and gently herded Bluestreak to his peds. “Come along, Blue.”

Megatron waited until they were gone before turning back to the guard. “Has Onslaught been captured?”

“He is in the brig, my lord. In the isolation unit.”

Megatron growled, nodding tersely to the guard. “Thank you, you are dismissed.” His optics glowed with rage as he made his way to the back of the room and to a concealed door. He was going to kill the slagger for taking their sweet mech away. Still it was not something he wanted to expose Bluestreak to. He was the most sensitive of his consorts, and this blow was not going to help matters any.

He held his own grief in check and tried not to think about the tiny little sparkling he had once held in his hands. He could not believe that Prism was really gone either, but he was not one to vocalize his grief. Not like Bluestreak.

He opened the door and proceed down the elevator to the brig. The guards on duty saluted as he went past, heading for the isolation unit. “I want all guards out of the unit. I am going to have a private….talk with Onslaught.”

“Of course, Lord Megatron.”

Megatron walked into the unit and waited as the guards left, leaving him alone with Onslaught where he was secured in a cell. Onslaught stood up and glared out at Megatron when he stopped in front of his cell. “What did you do.”

“I didn’t do anything, you majesty,” Onslaught hissed.

“Yes, you did. He is dead, and I will make you pay with your spark, but first you will tell me what you did.”

Onslaught took a step back, “He was not...meant to be hurt.”

“You are lying,” Megatron growled, optics blazing dangerously.

“You have not changed,” Onslaught said, watching him. “Most of the troops think you have gone soft with your little, Autobot consorts.”

“Oh, no. I have not gone soft. If anything the opposite is true because I will do anything to keep my family safe. I ask again, what did you do to my sparkling?”

Onslaught laughed, “Your sparkling? Everyone knows the little brat was sired by your other consort.”

Megatron scowled, “He is- he was mine regardless. What did you do? Tell me now or do i send for Soundwave.”

Onslaught laughed, “Send for your drone if you want. I’m not telling you anything.”

::Soundwave. I need you to...report to the brig now.::

::Advise: arrival imminent.::

“I am sure you will change your tune,” Megatron growled, clenching his hands together.

It was a breem later before Soundwave stepped into the brig, “Megatron: Require assistance.”

“What did you find in your investigation?”

“Onslaught: in possession of vid of the prince. Ravage: retrieved.”

“Show me.”

“Megatron: footage, graphic.”

“Graphic? I see. Play it. I need to know what happened to my sparkling.”

“Soundwave: understands. Onslaught: memories retrieved also.”

“Memory files? Why?”

“Megatron: see. Understand.”

Megatron frowned as Soundwave jacked in and shared the files. His vents stuttered, and his optics brightened with a growing rage.

He reviewed the vid twice, before turning to Onslaught. “I am going to take you apart piece by piece until there is nothing left but your spark casing, and then...I am going to imprison you. It is going to make your first stint in detention seem like a walk through the crystal gardens.

Onslaught took a step back, fear in his optics for the first time since he had arrived in the brig.

“You wouldn’t dare! My team-!”

“Your team will want nothing to do with you after they learn of your crimes. Soundwave, begin to make the arrangements. This will be a public disassembling.”

Onslaught glared at Megatron. “You don’t have the ball bearings for this!”

“You stole my sparkling. You raped him, stole his seal! You fed him to empties! You have no idea what I am capable of!”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism stood on the tip of his peds, duster in hand as he cleaned off the shelves. He took each sculpture down, wiping it off carefully before replacing it. He enjoyed tidying things up. It kept his processor off of other things.

He also liked living with the twins. They were good sparks. They took care of him, bringing him back candies and trinkets and were always excited when he made energon treats.

His spark fluttered happily.

He felt like he was actually being useful again. He felt less dirty and worthless. He could at least keep the twins’ home clean and make sure that they fueled. Sunstreaker was quite bad about that at times.

He paused as he thought about Sunstreaker. The mech was always watching him, asking if it was okay for him to sketch him or if he felt up to modeling for an idea he had.

He seemed to care, and Prism did not understand that. He wasn’t worthy of such affection. He couldn't imagine how any mech could ever want him. Not now. Not with his seals gone.

He stepped back, and looked critically at the shelf before moving on the the next one. He was almost done, and then he would make some gelled energon. He needed to keep busy. He needed to keep moving. He needed...to...to not think about what happened. He couldn't break down. He hated the pitying looks on the twins’ faces when he did.

“Excuse me, Moonbow?”

Prism looked behind him and saw Sunstreaker with his sketchbook in servo. “Yes, Sunstreaker? Is there something I can do for you?”

“Would you mind if I sketched you while you worked?”

Prism blushed. “I...I don’t mind. Is there anything in particular you want me do?”

“Just pretend I am not here. I want to sketch you naturally.”

Prism blinked, “I--if you want,” he said, going back to dusting. It was hard to ignore the optics on him, but he somehow managed to go back to what he was doing. He worked his way around the room, covertly glancing at Sunstreaker every once in a while.

“I--I’m finished. I-is there anything else you want me to do?”

“Mmm...come here,” Sunstreaker said.

Prism trembled but went towards him. Sunstreaker stood up and began to head up to the studio area. When they reached the studio, Prism saw that a backdrop had been set up of a strange scene. Brown poles with green things on them and brightly colored little things on the ground like crystal blooms.

“What is that a picture of?”

“It is a picture of Earth. It was...a planet the last of the war was fought on. It was...strange. I hated a lot of it. It was dirty...but there...well there was this. I wish you could have seen it. I think you would have enjoyed it.”

“I might have. My carri---yeah I might have.”

“Can I paint you? Please?” Sunstreaker asked, ignoring the slip.

“I-if you want. W-where do you want me?”

“Here,” Sunstreaker said, pulling up a chair.

Prism cautiously made his way over to the chair and gingerly sat down on it. “Um, what next?”

Sunstreaker smiled, “Just sit there. Would you like a datapad or something?”

Prism looked to the side. “Umm, a pad would be nice. If, it wouldn’t be a bother or anything.”

Sunstreaker pulled a datapad from his subspace. “Nonsense. You are fine. Here, read the pad while I paint, it has several new stories from the main interchange. I wasn’t sure what you read.”

Prism took the datapad, his hand shaking, “Thank you.”

Sunstreaker watched him, frowning, “You do not have to do this if you don’t want to. You can say no.”

“It’s fine. I---I owe you s-so much. This is the least I can do.”

Sunstreaker looked at him before getting up and holding out a servo. “Come on. Go ahead and go downstairs. I am sorry that I made you so uncomfortable.”

Prism looked at the servo before carefully taking it. “I need to go make dinner.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Sunstreaker said gruffly.

Prism flinched away. “I’m sorry...I’m so sorry. Please don’t make me leave.”

Sunstreaker stared, “Moonbow...we wouldn’t make you leave. This is your home as well. I only meant that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Prism trembled, his hand holding onto Sunstreaker’s more tightly. “I don’t understand.”

Sunstreaker frowned and then sighed, “And now I have upset you further. I am sorry Moonbow. You don’t have to leave. You look tired and should go take a recharge nap. I will take care of dinner.”

Prism wasn’t sure what to do. He didn't know what they wanted from him. Why were they being so nice when he was so dirty and worthless?

He was venting hard before he knew what was happening, a keen escaped his vocalizer. He knees wobbled and he was crashing to the floor, only he didn’t hit it.

Sunstreaker caught him, pulling him into his arms. “Moonbow? Sweetspark, speak to me. What’s wrong? What did I do to upset you?”

Prism shook, “I don't understand. I don’t understand. I’m unclean.”

“No...no you aren’t,” Sunstreaker pulled him close, rocking him.

“Yes, I am! He, he made me unclean! I am dirty!”

Sunstreaker stroked the back of his helm. “You are not dirty! He is the one to blame, not you. You are not unclean. You are wonderful and beautiful and sweet.”

Prism stared at the mech in surprise, why was he looking at him like he something special?

“I wish you could see how special you are,” Sunstreaker pressed a kiss against Prism’s helm. “You are the very farthest thing from unclean or dirty.”

Prism’s optics widened. “Sunny?”

“I’m sorry. I---I have not known you long, Moonbow, but I care for you very much. I want you to be happy.”

Prism looked away, staring at the ground, “Why? I don’t deserve to be happy. I am ruined.”

“Oh, Moonbow. You deserve to be happy more than most. You have had to suffer so much. You are stronger and more beautiful for surviving. You are a precious jewel of a mech.”

Prism blushed. No one had ever something so sincere to him before.

“I just want you to be happy,” Sunstreaker whispered, and nuzzled into him.

“Y-you like me?”

Sunstreaker gave him a shaky laugh, “I’m not good at this. I’m not Sideswipe.”

Prism stared, “You’re nervous aren’t you? I make you nervous...” He blinked at the mech trying to puzzle it all out.

Sunny gave him a half grin, “Of course you make me nervous, you are the sweetest and kindest mech I have met. I am not good with mecha like Sideswipe is, its why I prefer my art. Art is easy to understand. Mecha are hard.”

Prism gave a little giggle and Sunstreaker stared at him. Prism drew back a bit at the intense look Sunny was giving him. “Was that, did you, I mean- You laughed. You have a beautiful laugh.”

“I did,” Prism said in wonder. A tiny smile inched across his faceplates. “I really did.”

“I hope I can hear that again. You are so...amazing.”

Prism’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. “You keep saying that.”

“Because I believe it with all of my spark. I am blessed to know you. You have made me happy.”

Prism shivered, “I---I don’t even know what to say. Thank you.”

Sunstreaker lightly blushed, “I am the one who should be thanking you. You have inspired me more than I have been in a very long time.”

Prism looked back at the floor. “Oh. I….you made paintings of me? Could, could I see?”

Sunstreaker blushed a little deeper. “Uh, yeah. The one I am done with is over here.”

He lead the way to a stack of finished canvases on a rack. He carefully slid one out and Prism gasped at the sight. It was him, lying on a strange berth with what looked like a mesh over him. There was a sharp looking shard of crystal next to one of his servos that draped down the side of the berth and a tiny drop of energon dripped off of a finger.

“Oh...it is...it is Beautiful,” he reached out and touched it. “My crea---where I lived before had paintings...well they weren’t like this but the style was similar. It’s very distinctive. Is....there a story behind this?”

“Possibly they were mine. Sideswipe sells a lot and I was a popular artist before the war. There is a story to it. From the planet I was telling you about. It was Sleeping Beauty. It was a friend of mine’s favourite. You remind me of him for some reason.”

Prism’s browplates knitted together. “A friend?”

“Yes, a good friend. Well, at least he used to be. We lost contact with most of our friends and comrades after we… lost the war.”

Prism stared at the mech. He didn’t look as though he was that old. “You were in the Great war?”

“Yes, both of us were.”

“What happened? I...heard that all mecha of the other side were…..”

“Enslaved? Sold? Yeah. We were. We bought our freedom, eventually. I guess things were not as bad as they could have been. There are at least protections, and eventually Megatron banned taking any new slaves.”

Prism nodded, frowning as he wondered how much he could even say. His sire had done the best he could. He knew that. Megatron had anguished over it. Things were not great, but Bluestreak said they were much better than before the war. Even poor mechs were guaranteed their fill of energon. Miners and other mechs were guaranteed a fair wage and rights they never would have been afforded before. There were still empties though. Still slums. It made Prism’s spark hurt.

“Why didn’t you...go see him then?” Prism finally asked.

Sunstreaker shrugged, “Bluestreak was busy. He had started his own life. Had a family. I can’t imagine he would have had time for us.”

Oh slag. They had known his carrier?! “You knew the Consort?”

Sunstreaker smiled, “Yeah, before he was the Consort. He was a good mech, great sniper. Always ready with a word to those who needed it.”

That sounded like his carrier. “Really? He sounds really nice.”

Sunstreaker gave him a grin, “Yeah, Blue was always really nice. Scared us to near offlining when we found out who he was sold to. We thought that Megatron would kill him for sure.”

“But he didn’t...” Prism said softly, brows wrinkling. He knew other mechs feared his sire, but he had never really understood it. He had known only kindness and love from the mech.

“No, he didn’t. I would even say that they have come to love each other, but that is an outsider’s view. They seem happy. I hope he really is. He deserves happiness. He went through so very much.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“He was one of the few survivors of Praxus. He was actually in the city when it fell. I can only imagine what Prowl went through thinking he had lost his sparkling there.” He gave Prism a sideways glance, “Not many Praxians...I wonder who your creators were. They must have been amazing to create a mech like you.”

Prism ducked his helm, clenching his hands together nervously. They wouldn't want him anymore.

“It’s fine, Moonbow, you don’t have to tell me. But...I would like to know what happened. I would like to help you.”

Prism looked away. “You’ll hate me. I am dirty.”

Sunstreaker reached out and put a servo on his shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me. I hope that you feel you can tell me one sol.”

Prism looked away, hating himself for having to lie to the ones who were being so nice to him and taking care of him. “I’m sorry.”

“No...no....don’t apologize,” Sunstreaker pulled him close, tucking Prism’s helm under his chin. “Please.”

Prism stiffened, and then finally relaxed against the warm plating against his own. “I wish I had met you before...before...”

“Shhhh....it will be okay, Moonbow. I promise. We will be here as long as you need us.”

“I do though. I wish you had known me before I was ruined. I like you. And maybe you would have liked me too.”

“I do like you. Sides likes you too. We both like you. You are wonderful and kind and sweet. You are not ruined. What happened was not your fault.”

“You are nice to say that. I know that I’m ruined now though. No one will ever want me. I am dirty.”

Sunstreaker pressed a soft kiss to the top of Prism’s helm. “You are not dirty. You are an angel.”

“What is...an angel?” His browplates wrinkled again.

“Mmmmm...it is....an avatar of the human’s god. Like...an avatar of Primus. Glowing. Ethereal. Beautiful. Pure.”

“I---I’m not though. He soiled me. He took the only thing that made me worth anything.”

“Don’t give that mech that kind of power. You have your life. You have your spark. You have your processor. Oh, sweetspark, I can’t even tell you how brighter you have made my life for meeting you.”

“Truly?” Prism asked, feeling flattered despite everything.

“Yes, truly. You are so sweet. Your seals were not the only thing that made you worth anything. You are worth everything. You are wonderful.”

Prism looked away when Sunstreaker spoke so bluntly of his shame. “No, I am not. There is nothing I have to offer without my seals.”

“That is slag! Pure slag! You have lots to offer any mech who is lucky enough to catch your optic.”

Prism trembled, “No one has ever wanted me for myself.”

“Then they are fools,” Sunstreaker said firmly, and leaned in kissing Prism chastely. “The biggest of fools.”

Prism leaned into the touch, his field flaring out with surprise. No one had ever kissed him before...not like that. No suitors had ever dared, not with Megatron always looming in the background. And thankfully it had not been something Onslaught had been interested in.

Prism felt...stunned.

When they finally broke the kiss, Prism stared at Sunstreaker in shock. He dazedly reached up and touched his lips with his fingers.

Sunstreaker looked at him in concern. “Moonbow? Are you alright?”

“No one ever kissed me before.”

“No?”

“No one ever dared. They didn’t...want me. They were afraid to get too close...I guess.” he shook. “It felt nice.”

“I don't know how they could not want you.”

Prism trembled. It was on the tip of his glossa, but he could not speak the truth. “Would you do it again?”

“As many times as you want me to.”

Prism’s spark fluttered, this was not something he should be doing.

“Please?”

Sunstreaker gently tipped Prism’s helm up so he could lock optics with him, and then leaned in to press his lips to Prism’s. Prism moaned as Sunstreaker slowly moved their lips together in a sweet kiss.

Prism felt a slight nudge to his lips and started to draw back and ask what Sunstreaker was doing, and was surprised when Sunstreaker’s glossa slipped into his mouth to tangle with his own. His optics widened but then he moaned at the wonderful feeling.

He clung to Sunstreaker, his processor in freefall. He felt warm, and then overheated, but still Sunstreaker kissed him. Sunstreaker’s glossa stroked his own until finally Prism answered him in kind, kissing him back just as fervently.

He was panting by the time Sunstreaker pulled away, his fans whining loudly. What was wrong with him?

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Bluestreak felt numb.

Everyone kept insisting that his precious, sweet sparkling was gone. Prism wasn’t gone.

He knew it. He just knew that he was not gone. He was out there somewhere! Maybe hurt or injured after seeing his poor doorwing. He just hoped that he was able to find help. He couldn't bare the thought of his bitty alone on the streets.

He had brought up donating and adding more outreach programs for those in the slums. He wanted his sparkling to at least be able to get energon, even if he wasn’t coming home for some reason.

Megatron had been very reticent on saying what had been done to his bitty by Onslaught. He kept it hidden away from the bond no matter how much Bluestreak poked or prodded. It must have been bad indeed. Scenarios kept running through his processor, some bad enough to leave him glitching.

Ratchet and Hook were both becoming very annoyed with the situation and threatening all manners of treatments. Bluestreak would have none of it. He was upset with all of them, including his bondeds.

Bluestreak turned his attention back to Megatron. This was not the normal procedure for an execution.

Usually, a prisoner’s crimes were read and then the executioner would come forward and proceed to offline the condemned with a precise stab through the spark chamber. There had been none of that. The executioner was nowhere to be seen, and Megatron was on the floor of the arena.

They walked Onslaught into the center of the arena and chained him to the posts. Megatron walked around him in a circle. “This sol we have a unique case. A prisoner who has been condemned to suffer! Suffer slowly and terribly, until offlining will seem a reward. This mech is charged with the most heinous of crimes. He murdered a young mech, after abducting him, by...feeding him to a pack of empties.”

The crowd roared with anger.

Bluestreak stiffened, shivering. He had heard wrong. He had to have heard wrong. His bitlet was not gone. His bitlet could not have met such a horrible fate. Bluestreak would have known.

Megatron drew an energon sword from his subspace. It was easily as tall as Bluestreak. Megatron hefted his easily. Bluestreak could feel his anger over their bond. It radiated. It pulsed through him, leaving Bluestreak feeling ill.

Megatron roared, raising the great weapon and slashing into Onslaught’s nearest leg. The bound mech reared in agony as the energon blade burned through the metal.

Bluestreak turned his helm away, burrowing his faceplates into Skydive’s shoulders. He could hear the sparlings shifting behind them and a servo touched Bluestreak’s shoulder. “Carrier, we sent the littlest three back to the nursery.”

“Thank you, Veracity. That was very thoughtful.”

A voice rang out from the crowd, “Lord Megatron! You claim he has committed this crime! Who was his victim!? You cannot claim a crime with no victim!”

Megatron stopped, trembling with rage. “He killed your own prince. My sparkling. Prism. This mech killed my sparkling.”

He turned back to Onslaught, his optics glowing brightly as he raised his sword once more, and struck at the bound mech again. “I will destroy you,” he whispered, his sword wedged itself into Onslaught’s shoulder.

Onslaught screamed, loud and high. “MERCY!”

“You murdered my sparkling and you dare to ask for mercy?! Where was mercy when you tossed my sparkling to the empties?! Where was mercy when you stole him from his home and family! There is no mercy for you here!”

Megatron brought his sword down on Onslaught’s other shoulder, making the mech scream. “You fool Megatron! You’ve gone soft! Your precious brat couldn’t even protect himself! He cried like a sparkling when I took his seal!”

In the box Bluestreak whimpered, tears trickling down his optics. He his his faceplates against Skydive’s plating. “Make it stop. Make it stop.”

Rapidfire’s engine roared, “Kill him, Sire! Rip out his spark!”

Megatron looked up, at his family before completely severing one of Onslaught’s arms at the shoulder. “I have gone soft?” he hissed. “I have gone soft? Really, Onslaught? Are you so stupid?”

Onslaught wheezed and gasped as the wounds hemorrhaged energon.

“I will show you how soft I am.”

Megatron raised his sword and cut through one of Onslaughts legs at the knee, and once he had landed on the weepings stump, sliced through the other. Legless Onslaught cried out as the dirt of the arena were forced into the stumps.

“You dared to steal my sparkling. You dared to /rape// him, defiling my sealed sparkling. You then tired of him and fed him to Empties while you recorded it. I am going to show you soft I have become.”

Megatron sliced through his final limb and kicked Onslaught onto his back. He put a ped onto Onslaught’s abdomen. “Consort Skydive, join me.”

Skydive disentangle himself from Bluestreak carefully, only leaving as their creations took his place supporting their creator. He crossed the arena, wings quivering with rage. “My lord? What would you have me do?”

“Carry out the sentence, my consort. Avenge out sparkling.” He offered Skydive the weapon, but Skydive shook his helm. He hands clenched, claws biting into the palm of his hands.

He fell on Onslaught, ripping through wiring with his bare hands.

Onslaught moaned brokenly, his optics flickering as he lost energon.

Finally, Skydive’s hand tore away the rest of the front of the spark casing, ripping through the protective crystal. He reach forward, hands closing around the mech’s spark, and he squeezed.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism stared at the array of items on the table. Sweets of all kinds. Exotic ones he had never seen before, as well as some he had made with his own hands. “What exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Gift baskets. They sell very well for the mid-vorn festival. They have every festival we’ve had the shop in any case. I think you might have an optic for this sort of thing.”

Prism stared at Sideswipe, “Ah...sure.”

“Is there a particular way that you want it set up? I don't want to ruin anything. You and Sunstreaker have been so nice to me.”

Sideswipe smiled, “Well, each of the large baskets- they have the green design on the handles- gets three of each sweet. The medium ones- they have a red design on the handle- they get two of each sweet. Now the ones with the yellow design are small and only get one of each sweet. Other than that, as long as each basket has the right amount of sweets you have free reign.”

“I think I can do that,” Prism said looking the supplies over. "Maybe add something like crystal flower to them? Mecha like that sort of thing.”

“If you want,” Sideswipe said, and watched Prism get to work.

Prism’s wings flicked with satisfaction as he got to work. It was nice to be keeping busy. It kept his mind off of things he would rather not think about...and things that confused him.

Like Sunstreaker. He did not know how he even felt about the mech. He made his spark flutter, but he knew the mech should not. It wasn’t proper...

But what did that matter anymore?

He gave a sigh and worked on finishing up the first of the large baskets. He had decided to work on the large baskets first because it was easier to scale down than it was to add more to a pattern. He had begun by stacking several of the goodies in a round stack and then stuck a small bouquet of crystal flowers in it as though it was a vase. He then arranged the remaining goodies in a pretty pattern that left the basket in a checkerboard design.

He looked around for Sideswipe, wanting to make sure that the basket looked okay before he did the rest.

“That looks really good,” Sideswipe said, startling Prism.

Prism blushed, “So...this is okay then?”

“It’s perfect,” Sideswipe said, leaning close.

“T-thank you,” Prism stammered. “I will finish the r-rest then.”

“Good. Thanks,” Sideswipe winked. “We really appreciate it.”

Prism looked down at his servos and wrung them nervously. “I am not doing much. You provided everything. I just-”

Sideswipe took one of Prism’s servos in his and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to it. “You Moonbow, are just doing an amazing job, and creating little works of arts. You are wonderful.”

Prism stared at him with wide optics. “Sideswipe! What-?”

Prism squeaked as he was pulled against Sideswipe and his helm was tilted to the side so Sideswipe could press a kiss to his lips. “You are so perfect.”

Prism broke the kiss and looked away. “This is wrong. I-, Sunstreaker-”

Sideswipe laughed, drawing Prism to stare at him. “Moonbow, Sunstreaker and I are twins. We are /split-spark// twins. We are literally the other half of each other. We share everything, including any lovers and eventually our future bonded.”

“Oh,” Prism’s optics widened, “Really?”

Sideswipe chuckled, “Yes, really.” He swooped in for another kiss. Prism melted into this one moaning softly.

He didn’t protest when Sideswipe lifted him up on the counter, pinning him there and kissing him until he could not process anything but the kiss.

He was venting hard when Sideswipe finally broke the kiss. He stared at him with wide optics and a pulsing spark, “S-Sideswipe? I, I, we-?”

The sound of a soft laugh made Prism shrink down and look over his shoulder. Sunstreaker stood there watching both Prism and Sideswipe. “Are you alright Moonbow? Sideswipe has little finesse, I know.”

Prism blushed at his words, but Sideswipe just laughed. “I have plenty of finesse! I found out that our little mech has an artistic flair. Look at how great the basket he did looks!”

“So I’ve noticed,” Sunstreaker said with a predatory air as he circled around the table. “Looks like you’ve been busy doing other things as well. Are you okay, Moonbow?”

Prism blushed a brighter shade of red, hiding his face, “I---I---I’m f-fine.” His engine stuttered.

Sunstreaker moved closer, close enough to tip Prism’s face towards him and steal a kiss of his own.

Prism blinked dazedly as Sunstreaker broke the kiss, unsure of what was happening. He tried to lean back from Sunstreaker’s embrace and found that he was leaning against Sideswipe. Sideswipe smiled, “You are so beautiful with him, Moonbow. I don’t know how we ever got along without you.”

Prism blushed and Sunstreaker tilted his helm back up, “You should never look away, Moonbow. You are too sweet a mecha to ever look away in shame.”

Prism looked up at them in confusion, “I---I d-don’t know what to do.”

“Mmmm....you don’t have to do anything,” Sideswipe said, his engine revving.

A whine left Prism’s vocalizer, they were close. Too close, looming over him like...like HE did. He shrunk in on himself, whimpering. “No...no....please don’t. Please don’t.”

Sideswipe pulled away almost instantly, “Moonbow?”

Prism panted, suddenly caught in a memory loop from that night. “No, no PLEASE! No! I’m begging you! NO!”

Sunstreake swept him up and carried into his berthroom, setting him on his berth. “You’re okay, Moonbow. You are safe here. He isn’t here. He will never hurt you again. I will kill him before he gets anywhere near you.”

Prism trembled and shivered on the berth. “No! Please! No! Let me go! I want to go home! I won’t tell! Please!”

“Shh! Shhh! Moonbow! You are safe. He isn’t here. You are safe!”

Prism’s optics widened, but they did not see Sunstreaker, he was too caught up in the memory. Sunstreaker’s words fell on deaf audials.

“Moonbow! Please, snap out of it!” Sunstreaker shook the mech gently, scared when even that did not snap Prism out of it.

“Side’s could you fetch the sedative Minerva sent home with us? Please? He’s not...he’s not coming out of it!”

“Carrier! Save me. Please. Please find me. Please. PLEASE!”

“I’m on it!” Sideswipe raced out of the berthroom and to where they had tucked the sedative. Minerva had warned them that Moonbow could have relapses and memories lapses to the the event that had so badly harmed the smaller mech.

He raced back with the small injector and peeled back a small panel of armor. He injected the sedatives and watched as Moonbow began to thrash less and less.

Moonbow fell limp in Sunstreaker’s arms. His field flickered full of confusion until it smoothed out and the mech fell into recharge.

They exchanged worried glances, both frowning as they watched the mech finally relax. He looked so small and fragile in Sunstreaker’s arms.

“He needs help,” Sideswipe said. We can’t fix this. I don’t even know where to start,” Sideswipe said.

Sunstreaker’s ventilations stuttered, “Sideswipe!”

“He does. He’s hurting.”

“I know! But I am not giving up on him. He needs us!”

Sideswipe sighed. “I am not giving up on him. He needs more help then we can give him. I want to take him to see Minerva. She might be able to recommend someone that we can have help him.”

Sunstreaker sighed, “You might be right. I never want to see him like that again. It hurt so much to see him like that. If I ever find the slagger who hurt him this bad, I’ll kill him.”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Bluestreak whimpered, doubled over he held onto the wastebin like it was a lifeline. He was glitching. That was the only possibility. Glitching, or dying. Either way he felt ten shades of miserable.

“Sweetspark? Are you okay in there?” Skydive’s muffled word’s made it through the door.

“Mmmm...fine,” Bluestreak mumbled.

“Sweetspark, I am coming in.”

“Ugh, I...I am fine! You don’t need to come in.”

The door opened and Skydive looked in. He gasped before hurrying over to Bluestreak’s side. “Blue! What is wrong?! Hang on! I will get you to the med-bay!”

Bluestreak tried to protest but Skydive scooped him up and ran out of their quarters. As soon as they were past the doors, their guards snapped to attention and stared at them in shock. “Lord Consorts! What has happened?”

“I don’t know, he’s sick!” Skydive said, his normally calm facade crumbling. “I don’t know what is wrong.”

Bluestreak whimpered, his tank rolling. “Put me down!”

“No!” Skydive said, running past the guards towards the medbay.

“I’m gonna purge,” Bluestreak mumbled. “Put me down. Put me down!”

“No. I can’t do that.”

Bluestreak frantically tried to get free for a few more kliks until he leaned over in Skydive’s arms and purged onto the floor in front of the guards. “Leave me alone!”

“No! We are getting you to the medics. You need to be examined.”

“Let me be! I….I am fine.”

“Purging like that is not ‘fine’ by any meaning of the word.”

“Please, Skydive. I just---” He doubled over, purging again.

Skydive watched with wide optics, and comm’ed the medic frantically, ::Hook! There is something wrong with Bluestreak! He’s gotten sick all over the suite. He won’t stop purging!!::

::I will be right there,:: the medic replied.

::He’s so sick. I think someone poisoned him!::

::Keep him calm. I will be right there.::

::Understood. Please hurry!::

Skydive pet Bluestreaks helm soothingly. “Try and stay calm. Hook will be here soon!”

“I’m fine. I just, ate something that didn’t agree with me.”

‘Bluestreak! Lay down! You are sick! Wait for the medics to get here!”

Bluestreak gave him an unamused look but then purged again, heaving harder than before. He purged until there was nothing left to purge, and still his tank rolled and protested despite being empty.

Finally Hook strolled in, frowning. He knelt beside Bluestreak, plugging into the mech’s medical port before Bluestreak could protest.

“He is not sick, Skydive. He is carrying,” the medic said slowly. “We need to get him to the medbay. I have something that will help stop the purging.”

Skydive stared, “What?”

“He said I’m carrying,” Bluestreak said. “Clearly he is a few circuits short of a processor.”

“Bluestreak!”

“What? He is clearly wrong. I can’t be carrying. That is just not possible! I have to help search for my sparkling. Prism is still out there!”

Skydive and Hook exchanged a look. “Bluestreak, sweetspark. You know he is gone. I’m sorry, but he is gone.”

“No! No! Prism is alive! I would know if he was offline! I would know! I am his carrier!”

“Bluestreak, you need to calm down. If not for your own sake, then for the sparkling you are carrying,” Hook sid.

Bluestreak hissed at him, “I am not carrying. Stop lying to me! Stop it.”

“But you are....” Hook said firmly.

“I can’t be,” Bluestreak snapped. “Liar.”

Megatron hurried around the corner and hurried over to where the three of them were huddled, with the guards a little way away. “What is going on here? I recieved a message that something was wrong with Bluestreak! Hook! Report!”

“My lord, Lord Consort Bluestreak is carrying.”

“He’s lying, I am not,” Bluestreak said stubbornly.

Hook gave Megatron a put-upon look, “He is sire, a mechlet. A healthy one.”

Bluestreak quivered, and burst into tears. Skydive looked up helplessly at Megatron, a pleading look on his faceplates.

Finally Megatron bent down gathering Bluestreak to his chestplates. “This is wondrous news, my love.”

Bluestreak whimpered, “It is?” Tears still flowed down his cheeks, but not in the torrent that they had before.

“It is,” Megatron said, holding him tightly. “A new life. If that not reason enough to rejoice?”

Bluestreak whimpered, “It won’t replace him.”

“No...no one ever will.”

Bluestreak’s bottom lip trembled. “I..I want my sparkling back. Why him? Why did they have to take my precious sparkling? Wasn’t it enough we almost lost him once?”

Megatron drew Bluestreak against him. “I know. I miss him too, my spark. He was precious to all of us.”

Bluestreak began to thrash in Megatron’s arms, “He isn’t gone! He isn’t! I would feel it!

Megatron held onto him tightly until Bluestreak tired out and rested limply against him, “He isn’t gone,” Bluestreak cried, clinging to Megatron’s armor weakly.

“I know it hurts, my spark. I know,” Megatron murmured, nuzzling his audial. “But you must think of the new spark. All this stress will not be good for it. We want it to emerge healthy, don’t we?”

Bluestreak whimpered, “He deserves a chance.”

Megatron hummed his agreement, pressing a kiss on top of Bluestreak’s helm.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism stared at the mech before him. He was thin, and small, and had the strangest, goggle like optics. They looked like spectacles. He had seen his grandsire wearing them before, and Perceptor, but there were definitely attached to the mech’s faceplates and not something that could be removed.

“Hello there. My name is Rung. I am told that you are Moonbow? That is a lovely name. Now, the reason that we are here is so that we can help you. I have been made aware that you suffered something that no mecha should ever have to.”

Prism looked away, staring at the floor. “I...I don’t want to talk about it.”

Rung sighed, reaching out to touch Prism’s arm. “I know. You don’t have to talk about it now, but we will need to talk about it when you feel more comfortable. I am going to do my best to prove that I am someone that you can trust.”

Prism stared at the orange mech, and stook. “I---I---d-don’t want to even be here. They... S-Sunny and S-sides insisted. I-I--” He whimpered as the memories rose up in his processor.

“It’s fine. Take your time. This is a safe place.”

“I got stuck in a memory purge.”

“Unfortunately that happens. I won’t lie to you, it will STILL happen, but it will get better, I promise,” Rung said kindly.

Prism looked at him in surprise. “I thought you could make it all go away?

Rung laughed, “Now that would be a trick. I wish that I was that good. No, I can’t make it all go away; I wish I could, for your sake. Instead, you are going to be the one doing the most work. I will just guide the process.”

Prism stared, “You can’t just fix me?”

“I will help you through the process. You will get better. Things will get easier...but it will take time. Luckily...you have the support you need to get through this. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe seem to love you very much.”

Prism blinked, this was news to him. “They do?”

“They do, I can tell. Now...is there anything that you would like to speak of?”

Prism looked away, “No. I want to go.”

Rung smiled, “Okay. Where do you want to go? Back to your home? Or with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe?”

Prism stared at Rung, “What do you mean my home? My home is with them.”

Rung gave him a serene look, “Is it though? You mentioned your carrier to them when you had your flashback. I take it your carrier had nothing to do with what happened you?”

Prism vented hard, and something inside of him crumbled, “My carrier doesn’t know. He would never have let that happen. He loves me. I miss him,” he keened, “but I know he wouldn't want me back. I’m unclean. Ruined. I was ruined.”

“You are not ruined. This was not your fault.”

“I am though. I have no seals. No value. I am nothing.”

“Sunstreaker and Sideswipe would disagree. You have value.”

“I don’t! I’m unclean and dirty. They...are so sweet and kind but they don’t know. I am broken and dirty inside. HE ruined me.”

“No, Moonbow. You are not unclean or dirty or broken. You are hurt and have suffered more than a sweet mech like you should have. None of that is your fault. You are blameless in this.”

Prism whimpered, “I-I-I don’t understand why h-he did that to me. I-I do...b-but it was so....” He vented sharply. Prism quivered inside and tried to figure out what was safe to tell this mech. All the lies were piling up and it ate at him. He didn’t like lying...and he REALLY didn’t like lying to these mechs.

“What he did...there is no excuse for it.”

“There isn’t,” Prism said. “But...t-that doesn’t f-fix me.”

“No. It doesn’t,” Rung agreed.

Prism looked at Rung in surprise. “You are nothing like what I expected.”

Rung laughed, “I will take that as a compliment. Most mecha think that as a psychiatrist that I just wave my hand and their problems go away, but I am here to lead you on the path to healing. I can’t make you go, and I can’t take you there automatically.”

Prism blinked, “That makes sense, I suppose.”

“You want to get better? Are you willing to try?”

“I---yes---I do. I really do.”

Rung smiled at him, “Good. I will try my hardest to help you through that journey. It will be hard, but I have faith in you.”

“You do?” Prism asked, whimpering.

“I do, Moonbow.”

“So do Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. They have all the faith in you. You have mecha that care about you.”

“I..I know. I don’t know why though. I am not much at all. I don’t know why they do.”

Rung patted Prism’s servo. “They care about you because you are a good person.”

“I don’t feel like one.”

“Why?”

Prism opened his mouth. “I...I feel...I feel like maybe I did something to deserve it. Maybe it was my fault.”

“But you know it was not, Moonbow?”

Prism nodded, “I know. I just...I know....” He hugged himself, his wing language echoing his distress.

“You know it in your processor, but your spark doesn’t agree?”

“Yes.”

“That is understandable. You have been through a traumatic event, and that is enough to shake your self-esteem. You have nothing to be ashamed of. With time and effort, you will believe that in your processor and your spark.”

Prism looked down, “I don’t know, I want that though.”

Rung smiled looking pleased. “Good. That is the first step, wanting to get better.”

Prism gave him a small smile back.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Skydive sat back on the couch, and smiled as the sparklings climbed up, snuggling against him. The youngest three of their brood was still so small. Spectrum was barely old enough to toddle, and certainly not old enough to understand what was going on.

“Carrier,” Firebomb whispered, clinging onto Skydive’s frame, “What’s the matter with ‘Tor?”

“Bluestreak isn’t feeling well, sweetspark.”

“Is it ‘cause of Prism? When is he coming back? I miss his stories.”

Skydive felt his spark stutter at the innocent question. Primus how was he supposed to answer this? How did he tell these precious innocent sparklings that their oldest brother wasn’t going to come back and tell them stories? “I...I don’t know. What story was he telling you? Maybe I know it and can finish it for you?”

Firebomb bounced eagerly, “Prism was telling us about the three petrobunnies and the turbofox! The petrobunnies were making their houses out of different things!”

Skydive made himself smile, “I know that one, I told it to Prism when he was a sparkling.”

Tempo listened to the exchange, frowning. “Ver said Prism wasn’t ever comin’ back. He’s in the well now. He is, isn’t he? He’s not comin’ back to us.”

Skydive stared, shaking, he didn’t know how to answer that. “Bitlet...”

“That’s why Ree cries all’a time, isn’t it?” Tempo said again.

“Tempo, I… Yes, that is why your carrier is so upset. He misses Prism very much.”

Firebomb frowned, “Can’t Prism come home from the Well? He can’t visit?”

“No, sweetie, he can’t. When Primus takes a spark to his well, they live with him from them on.”

“But that’s not fair! Prism should come home!”

Tempo shivered, “He’ll ne’er come back. He’s lost. We’ve lost him. Ree’ll ne’er be happy again.”

“Tempo, you need to calm down,” Skydive said, and pulled the mechlings close to him, “Your Ree will get better, eventually. Soon you will have two new siblings. I think that is reason enough for him to be happy again. One day.”

“Ree’s having another spark?” Tempo asked. “Soon?”

“Soon enough,” Skydive said, touching the glass of his cockpit. “Very soon.”

“Ree? You have bitty too?” Firebomb leaned on Skydive, looking up at him with wide optics.

Skydive pet Firebomb’s helm, “Yes, I have a bitty too.”

Firebomb bounced excitedly, “Can we help name the new bitties?! Can we? Can we?”

Skydive laughed, “Why don’t you come up with some ideas and I will think about it? How does that sound?”

Firebomb giggled, “Yes, fun. Very fun, Ree!” He threw his arms around Skydive’s neck holding onto him tightly. “You won’t go to the Well for a while?”

“Primus willing, I will not.”

“Good, I love you, Ree,” Firebomb said, clinging.

“I love you too, bitty. Very much,” Skydive said, petting Firebomb’s helm.

Tempo moved over and hugged Skydive, “Will ‘Ree be okay? I no like ‘Ree sads.”

Skydive cuddled Tempo, “I think he will. I don’t like him sad either. He has you and Spectrum to cheer him up. Why don’t you guys make him some nice pictures? I am sure that would help cheer him up!”

The sparklings looked excited about the idea and rushed off of his lap except for Spectrum who stayed sprawled on his lap. The two hurried back with their drawing tablets and began to draw and scribble on their pads.

Spectrum snuggled closer, “‘ugs?”

Skydive laughed, pulling the mechling closer. “All the hugs you want, dearling.”

Spectrum wiggled closer, hiding his faceplates against Skydive’s plating. “‘Charge now? ‘Charge?”

“If you want to, bitling.”

“ B’others, ‘xhaus’ing’. ‘Charge.”

Skydive chuckled, and dropped a kiss on Spectrum’s helm.

“You have a recharge nap then, sweetspark. I’ll be right here.”

Spectrum wiggled adorably and snuggled against Skydive’s frame before his wide optics slowly shuttered shut as he went into recharge. Skydive pet his helm softly. “You are so adorable.”

Tempo and Firebomb giggled and pointed at things on each other’s tablets before working on their own picture. Skydive could tell that they were putting a lot of effort in their drawings.

“Look, Ree! LOOK!” Firebomb jumped up,showing him Skydive the pad. “Look! Pretties!”

Skydive looked down at the pad, “Now who....”

“See...’Ire, and there is you Ree, and ‘Tor. And look,” he said pointing to a smaller scribble, “Me!”

“Oh, that is lovely,” Skydive said kindly.

“Tanks!” Firebomb bounce, “Show your pretty, Tempo!”

Tempo stuck out his glossa, “Not done. No.”

“Tempo, please! Pretties!” Firebomb said, bouncing.

“No, Bomb, no.”

“Firebomb, calm down. If Tempo isn’t done, let him finish in his own time. Why don’t you make another picture for ‘Ree? He would like a lot of pretties, I bet.”

Firebomb wiggled in excitement and began to draw again. “I make the best pretties for ‘Ree!”

Skydive smiled at Firebomb’s excitement, “You make lovely pretties, Fire.”

“I do!” The little mech agreed. “The best.”

Tempo huffed from the floor, “You’re egotis---egotistical. Like da Wing Lord.”

Skydive stared, “Tempo. Where did you hear such a thing?”

Tempo shrugged, “Sire said it to Un’ka Wave.”

Skydive snorted. “You shouldn’t repeat such things.”

“But...But....”

“No. You really shouldn’t repeat the things adults say.”

Tempo’s optics narrowed, “Skydive, no scold me.”

Skydive frowned, “Tempo. You do not sass me. You are being naughty.”

Tempo scowled, “I no naughty! I no naughty! I good sparkling!”

“You usually are, now you are being naughty.”

“I no naguhty! You naughty!”

“Yes, you are. Go to your room. I think it’s nap time. If you can’t behave you will not get the energon treats Veracity made. You can just go to your room and think about how bad you are acting.”

Tempo stood, and glared. “No. No. NO! Won’t go.”

“You will, mechlet.”

Tempo dropped to the floor, yelling, “No! NO! Not the boss. Not the boss.”

Skydive stared, shocked.  
nom

“Tempo! What are you doing?! This is not proper behavior!”

“Not the boss! Not the boss of me! I do what I wants! Want treats!”

“No. You do not get treats. You get a nap. You are behaving very poorly and are setting a bad example for Spectrum.”

Tempo jumped up and down, stomping his peds. “Dive hate me. HATE ME.”

“That is ‘Tor to you, bitlet, and you know better. I love you, but you can’t act like this. You can’t be bad and still expect treats.”

Tempo stared, scowling. “No.”

“Yes bitlet,” Skydive said mover firmly.

“No! No! No! No!”

Skydive frowned and carefully set Spectrum on the couch. “That is more than enough! You are going to your room and staying there until I think you have been punished enough and I am telling your Sire about this.”

Tempo seemed to freeze at the word. “No tell Sire! No tell!”

“Yes, I am. You are being bad and I am going to tell him that you are being bad.”

Tempo’s lower lip quivered, “Noooooooo....no tell. Noooooo!!!! Pwease, ‘Tor. No tell.” The little mech burst into tears.

Skydive sight, and picked the mechling up. Tempo clung, balling his little optics out. “Sweet spark....”

“No telll. No tell.”

“I won’t tell him, but you can’t act like this.”

“I disappear like Prism? Replace bad sparklings?”

“What? No sweet spark! Why would you think that?”

“Prism go! Now new bitty! You gots new bitty! I go?!”

Skydive felt his spark ache at the idea that his sparkling thought such a thing. “Oh Sparkling! No! No, you are not going to be replaced. You are not being replaced by the new sparklings.”

Tempo looked up at him with optics full of tears. “I no? But, but Prism go.”

Skydive picked up Tempo and rocked him in his arms. “You are not being replaced. Prism will never be replaced. We will always love him, just like we love you and your siblings.”

Tempo whimpered, “Miss him.”

“Oh, love, we miss him too. So much. You’ve seen how sad your Ree is.”

“He hurts,” Tempo whispered. “Can feel it.”

“Yes, he does. We all do. We love you all very, very much. You can’t forget that.”

“Tor love newspark?”

“Yes, we love them too, and you will as well when you meet them...just like you loved Firebomb and Spectrum.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. We will love you forever.”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Sunstreaker threw a look at Moonbow where he sat nestled between his twin and himself. Moonbow was making slow progress but he seemed to be doing better with his sessions with Rung.

“You want some more of the crystal crunchies, Sunstreaker?”

“Sure, sweet spark,”

Moonbow offered him the bowl, and Sunstreaker took a few, popping them into his mouth. They really were delicious. Moonbow was spoiling them both rusty with tasty snacks.

Sunstreaker wasn’t paying any attention to the vidscreen, although he pretended. It was nice just to sit so close to the little mech. Their plating touched leaving Sunstreaker feeling hot.

“You make the best treats,” Sideswipe said, popping another crystal into his mouth.

Moonbow blushed adorably and Sunstreaker’s servos itched to have a pen to sketch how beautiful he was. Moonbow was so sweet and kind and Sunstreaker wanted to capture it on canvas and on paper.

He was so glad that they had found him that sol, the very idea of this precious mech being gone was terrifying. Moonbow was one of the most truly good mecha that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had ever met.

“T-thank you,” Moonbow said, and ducked his helm.

“You are welcome, sweet mech,” Sideswipe purred, leaning in to press a kiss against Moonbow’s helm.

Sunstreaker scowled at his brother. The last thing he wasn’t was for Prism to have another episode...although they were growing fewer. With any luck they would stop altogether. It made Sunstreaker’s spark ache to watch the mech suffer.

It was also...difficult. He wanted the mech. Wanted him so badly.

“You are too kind,” Moonbow whispered.

“No, he is not. Sideswipe is just being honest for once. Enjoy it, this is a rare occurrence.” .

“Hey!”

Moonbow however, giggled at the idea. “Sunny, that is not nice!”

The way that Moonbow looked with his optics alight with laughter and that gorgeous smile made Sunstreaker’s spark sing in his chestplates. He could feel an answering feeling of joy from Sideswipe through the twin bond.

“No, but perfectly true,” Sunstreaker purred, and leaned in, stealing a kiss. “We are so very lucky to have you.”

Moonbow whimpered, leaning into the kiss, but didn’t pull away this time, and the memory loop did not surface.

“Sunny!” Sideswipe whined. “Stop stealing him away.”

“It’s Sunstreaker, brat,” the yellow mech said in exasperation when the kiss ended. Moonbow still looked dazed, and even more flustered.

Moonbow looked amazing like this as well. His cheeks glowing with embarrassment but his lips swollen from kisses and seemingly begging for more. Moonbow was so beautiful in all his moods and actions. So gorgeous and beautiful.

“You let him call you Sunny!”

“He is allowed. You are not, /Swiper//!”

Sideswipe gave Sunstreaker a flat look. “That is not fair. You know how much I hated that nickname.”

“You know the same thing.”

Sideswipe scowled at him. “Brat.” He scooted closer, and claimed Prism’s lips with his own, pulling the little mech into his lap. His fingers wiggled in between plating making Moonbow whimper, and cling to him.

Sunstreaker leaned forward, nibbling at the little Praxian’s collar, along the leading edge of his doorwings. “Frag, I want you.”

Moonbow moaned, optics hazey when they met Sunstreakers. “Want you too.”

Sunstreaker pressed a deep kiss to Moonbow’s lips, savoring how sweet the smaller mech tasted. Moonbow always tasted like he had been nibbling energon goodies and other sweets, making him so perfect to kiss and lick and nibble.

Sideswipe was stroking over the small mechs heating frame, savoring each moan and gasp that he could wring from the other mech. He slid his servos along Moonbow’s sides and grabbed onto his waist while thrusting up and grinding against his aft.

Moonbow froze, plating cold in an instant before he began to thrash to get free.

Sideswipe’s vents stuttered. “Moonbow! Sweetling, it’s us. Please don’t do this! Please!”

Sunstreaker pulled Moonbow tight against him, extending out his field in an effort to get through to the mech. “Moonbow! Moonbow! Stop it! You are safe!”

Moonbow’s vents stuttered, and stopped for a moment before he went limp in Sunstreaker’s arms. After a moment they started up again, his fans whirling loudly, and he looked up at Sunstreaker with confused optics.

“I-I-It H-happened again-again,” he clicked like a distressed sparkling. “M-make i-it s-s-stop.”

“We would if we could,” Sideswipe whispered, his voice crackling. “Maybe I shouldn’t touch you...I don’t want to make you hurt.”

“N-n-no please. I want you,” Moonbow cried.

“Sweetspark, we want you too. We hate hurting you though.”

Moonbow looked at them with optic full of tears. “I want you two to give me new memories. I don’t want to feel his touches on me, I want yours to replace them.”

Sideswipe leaned forward and kissed Moonbow’s tears away. “Are you sure? We don’t have to do this now.”

“I do. I-I don’t want to l-live in fear. I don’t want him to be---” he whimpered, “Please do this for me. Please. I need good memories.”

“We want you to get better,” Sunstreaker purred, “How...do you...want this to play out? What do you want us to do?”

“Just....just don’t pin me down on my front,” Prism shivered with fear. “H-he liked to do that. He liked to leave me helpless.”

Sunstreaker revved his engine angrily, how dare someone treat their sweet mech like that. The more that they found about how Moonbow had been abused, the more they wanted to find the mech responsible and rend him into tiny pieces. “If we ever find the mech that did this to you, Moonbow. We are going to kill him for you. You deserve so much better than that.”

Moonbow gave him a small smile. “I have better now. I have you two.”

Moonbow rested his helm against Sunstreaker’s chestplates with a soft smile on his lips. “Thank you two for keeping me safe.”

“We want to, always,” Sideswipe whispered, nipping at the small mech’s neck.

Moonbow moaned, his frame slowly heated up as the twins found his most sensitive seams, and wires. Soon he was panting, his fans whirling as fast as they could go in a futile attempt to cool his frame. “Need you. Need you both.” He wiggled between them, on the very verge of begging.

“Soon, sweetspark,” Sunstreaker whispered, “Soon. We want you too. In the worst way. Have wanted you forever.”

Sideswipe touched Moonbow’s wings, gently at first then more firmly. “How does that feel?”

Moonbow moaned at the feeling, his wings pressing back into Sideswipes touches. “So good! Please! More!”

Sunstreaker purred and nibbled along Moonbow’s crest. “There is always more for you. You are so lovely, my dear.”

Moonbow melted at their touch. He had never felt so good. He was finally able to see why others had spoken so highly of doing this!

Sideswipe kept touching his wings, but it felt nothing like when his creators had helped him groom them. It felt like his frame was ablaze with pleasure. It was wonderful, and distracting. He didn’t realize Sunstreaker had even moved until the mech began to lap at the seams along his interface panel. His valve clenched behind it, lubricant already pooling and beginning to seep out. “So sweet,” Sunstreaker purred, and gave a pleased hum with the panel finally snapped open. Sunstreaker’s glossa dipped inside, flicking across the nodes on the inside of the rim. They tingled in a way Moonbow had never felt.

“Sunny, please...I need....I need more.”

Sunstreaker looked up, the purr increasing and making the nodes on the outside fire as well. Charge crackled between them, dancing slowly across their plating.

“Not just yet.”

Sunstreaker lapped at Moonbow’s valve, while Sideswipe pressed kisses to Moonbow’s lips and fondled his doorwings.

Moonbow trembled, his valve clenching around Sunstreaker’s glossa. Pleasure washing though his field as the overload claimed him. He cried out, arching beneath Sunstreaker.

Sideswipe never stopped petting his doorwings, his plating. It was entirely overwhelming. Sunstreaker could tell by the way the little mech whimpered.

“W-w-what was that?” Prism asked, looking confused and wrung out, as limp as a wet mesh.

“Didn’t it feel good?” Sunstreaker purred, beginning to flick his glossa over the sensitive nodes again.

Moonbow stared at him in shock, “Wh-what was that though?”

Sunstreaker stared at him in shock, as did Sideswipe. “You, you never overloaded before? Ever?”

“Overload? Is that what that was? It was strange.”

Sideswipe pet Moonbow’s back between his doorwings. “We are honored that you trusted us with it then.”

Moonbow wiggled, he wasn’t sure he liked the sensation. It was intense, and seemingly messy. He felt slick between his legs. It wasn’t exactly a sensation he was sure that he enjoyed. Then again, it had felt good. Nothing like the things that Onslaught did to him. “Will you----will you do that again?” he finally asked shyly.

Sideswipe purred behind him, still caressing Moonbow’s winglets, “Whenever you want.”  
Moonbow wiggled, “Really?”

“Oh, yes. We would love to spend all sol overloading you. You are so gorgeous when you overload!”

Moonbow blushed adorably then looked at them in concern. “Did...did, you, um. I mean. Were you two…? Um Did you..?”

“Did we overload? No, not yet. Don’t worry, if you don’t feel up to continuing then we can take care of it ourselves.”

“I d-do though, I...I don’t even know how this works,” Moonbow whimpered, and watch Sunstreaker move up his frame, dropping kisses along the way.

“We’ll be very happy to show you,” Sunstreaker purred, pressing their frames together. “Would you like that?”

Moonbow’s engine revved loudly, “Please. Please...I--I---” He gave Sunstreaker a pleading look, not even sure how to frame his request.

Sunstreaker smiled again, “Oh, I will take care of you, sweetspark.”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

::Is he okay?:: Sunstreaker asked for the tenth time.

::He’s fine, Sunny. Don’t you have an artshow...really. He’s fine. I’m here. Stop worrying about it and get to work.::

Sunstreaker bristled on the other side of the bond. He had not wanted to leave. Moonbow had looked so beautiful wrung out with pleasure. Even better than he had imagined. ::Are you sure? I could leave...::

::Moonbow and I are both fine. Stop worrying. You shmooze the clients, sell some art. We could use the credits if you still want to get Moonbow that set of replacement inlays. Did you decide between the opals and the moonstones?::

::Yes, the opals. They match his plating better. He will look so beautiful. His doorwings look so lopsided now.::

::You and your irritation of non-symmetry.::

::He will appreciate it. It cannot be comfortable. Those wings are sensitive,:: Sunstreaker said defensively.

::He will look beautiful though,:: Sideswipe conceded. ::Will you paint him again then?::

::He is my muse, Sides. How could I not. I just...I just can’t get enough.::

Sideswipe chuckled, ::Oh, Sunny. You are so enamoured.::

::Like you are any better,:: Sunstreaker teased. ::Any possible buyers?::

::A couple. One of the heirs is here. You should see the big Con guards following him around. It still makes my processor ache to see things like that.::

::Worlds changin’, bro.::

::Still weird. You’re sure he is okay?::

::Moonbow is fine. He is making goodies. I just got a nice fresh one. Mmmm. So good. Don’t you wish you were here for this?::

::You are an aft, brother of mine. Tell him I love him and I miss him. Got to go, the heir is coming up to me.::

“Is there something I can help you with, your highness?”

“You may call me Veracity,” the mech said, his optics fastened on one of the paintings. “It is beautiful. I want to buy it.”

Sunstreaker nodded, “Which one would you like to buy, sir---er---Veracity.”

The silver mech’s doorwings twitched, “All of them.”

Sunstreaker started, thinking he had heard wrong. “Excuse me, I thought you said all of them.”

The mech’s lips curled up,” I did. I think my carrier would like them. They remind---” the mech shook his helm. He pulled a credit chip from his subspace, and offered it to Sunstreaker.

Sunstreaker checked it, barely keeping himself from gasping. It was a small fortune. Far more than he had expected to get from the paintings.

“Your highness, this is too much for my humble paintings!”

“Take it. It is no more than you deserve for these works of art.”

“I am honored that you like them. Please, enjoy them. They a pleasure to create.”

The mech pointed to his body guard. “Put what you can in subspace. have someone else bring the rest to the palace quickly.”

The dark mech bowed deeply, “As you wish, your majesty.” The mech stared at the painting, frowning before beginning to subspace them.

Sunstreaker watched and frowned himself, wondering why the mech was behaving...oddly. “Is something wrong?”

The mech opened his mouth, and looked to the heir the back to Sunstreaker, “It is not my place to say, sir.”

“You don’t have to call me sir, it’s just Sunstreaker. I do want to know what is wrong though.”

“There is nothing wrong, not exactly. The mech you paint, he-”

“That is enough, Wingblade! We are going!”

The mech, Wingblade hurriedly picked up all the remaining paintings before following after the royal mech.

::Sides. You won’t believe what just happened!::

::What’s up? Some famous critic rave about how good you are again?::

::No! One of the royal mechs just bought out the entire show!::

Sideswipe’s shock bled across the bond,:: All of them? Really? Frag, that...is crazy.::

::It was...odd. And...I don’t know. They acted strange. They kept staring at Moonbow.::

::He’s a hot aft.::

::No...it wasn’t anything like that. The heir seemed....upset. And he seemed to want it for Bluestreak...I think...I don’t know. It was odd.::

::Sounds odd. Get a decent amount of credits?::

::More than we make in a couple orbital cycles.::

::Really?! Wow! You can definitely afford the inlays for moonbow now at least!::

::I know. He is going to be so surprised, I cant wait to see his expression when I give them to him.::

:: He would love anything you brought him, even if it was just a broken paintbrush.::

Sunstreaker felt his spark pulse happily at the thought. He loved Moonbow so much. He was everything he had always wanted in a mate and more.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

“Oh, ‘Ree, I brought something home for you. I do hope you like them. I went to an artshow, held by Sunstreaker. You knew him...didn’t you?” Veracity asked.

Bluestreak’s optics brightened, and he smiled. “We were once very close. Sadly we fell out of contact. Did he...look well?”

“He was very handsome. But that wasn’t what I wanted to show you, ‘Ree! I bought you paintings! Come look!”

Veracity pointed to the door into the sitting room, “I put them in your sitting room. I think you will like them.”

Bluestreak followed Veracity into the next room and froze in shock. There in every painting, on every canvas was his sparkling. Prism was painted with a loving servo in scenes from old Earth fairy tales and legends.

Prism as Sleeping beauty, as Cinderella, as Rapunzel. Over and over again, the image of his lost sparkling surrounded him. He felt dizzy and then fell to the ground as his processor locked up on him.

Veracity cried out in alarm, “‘Ree! ‘Ree! What....oh, ‘Ree, I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought that you would like them. They look like Prism.”

“They have him!” Bluestreak gasped out, scrambling to his peds. “THEY HAVE HIM!”

Veracity stared, “‘Ree...they....they can’t have Prism. He offlined.”

“He’s not gone. I can still feel him,” Bluestreak yelled, becoming more agitated. “You must take me to them now.”

“I can’t do that, ‘Ree. Papa wouldn't like it at all. He said you needed to stay home to keep you safe,” Veracity said.

Bluestreak growled, “I need to see them now youngling. NOW! They have my bitlet!”

Veracity stared, he had not expected this kind of reaction. “I...am going to get papa.”

Bluestreak moved to the painting of Prism as Sleeping Beauty, reaching out and stroking the painted figure. “Don’t worry sparkling, ‘Ree is coming. You will be home soon, don’t worry. I knew I hadn’t lost you. I knew it.”

Veracity hurried out of the room and down the hall to where Megatron was in a meeting with some of his advisors. “Papa?! I need your help! It’s ‘Ree! I got him a gift and he...he is acting very strangely now.”

Megatron gave Veracity a worried look and excused himself from the meetings as his advisors moved out of his way.

“Weird in what way?” Megatron asked as he followed Veracity through the hall.

“I bought him some paintings. The mech...the mech in them looked like Prism. I---I thought he would like him. But he got all upset, and collapsed. Then he started yelling about the twins having Prism. I don’t know, papa...he seems awfully confused. I wasn’t expecting him to react like this.”

“Your carrier is very fragile right now, bitlet. We have to be careful,” Megatron rumbled.

Bluestreak was sitting by the painting when they came inside. He turned, smiling at Megatron, “He’s alive. I was right. Look!”

Megatron knelt down next to him. “I see the painting, Blue. Sweetspark, it is just a painting though. You know that the artist could have used one of the images that the newsbots published during his funeral. He didn’t have to have him model for him.”

“Sunstreaker doesn’t use second hand models. He always has to have the model in front of him! This is Prism! I know it! It has to be!”

“Sweetspark, I know you miss him, but you have to stop this. You are scaring the sparklings and upsetting the younglings. Prism is gone. I am sorry, but that is the truth.”

Bluestreak shook, “But it is him. I know it is.” He vented, “I’m not crazy. I can feel him. I...I...I know he’s alive. But...if....you take me to the twins, and they don’t have him I will accept it. I will stop pretending. Please, m-my love. Do this for me.”

Megatron considered the offer and nodded. “If he is not there you will accept it, and you will see Smokescreen. I will have your word on it.”

“I will do whatever you want,” Bluestreak whispered. “I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”

“I know you didn’t,” Megatron pulled him close. Finally he stood, taking Bluestreak’s hand in his own. “We will go then.”

“Yes! Let’s go bring my sparkling home! I need to hold him in my arms again. He needs to be safe with his family!”

Megatron turned to Veracity, “Who did you buy these paintings from? Do yo know who painted them?”

“I got them from Sunstreaker, Sire. He was having an art show.”

“Sunstreaker? Hmm. Let’s go my dear. I can have Soundwave send me the coordinates for their home.”

Bluestreak perked up visibly, “Thank you. Thank you so much.” He flung himself into Megatron’s arms, kissing him soundly. “Thank you, my love.”

“Do not thank you yet, little Blue.”

Bluestreak took Megatron’s hand, letting the Warlord lead him out. He was going to find his bitty! He knew he was.

Megatron had the coordinates in a matter of kliks. He pinged it to Bluestreak as soon as he confirmed it with them mech, and watched with a worried optics as Bluestreak nearly ran out of the palace.

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism sighed as he leaned against Sunstreaker. He had never been so happy as he was right now. He felt so safe and so loved when he was with the twins. He had everything he had ever wanted with them.

They had just settled in to watch a video when there was a loud pounding at the door of their home. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker exchanged a look and Sideswipe pulled Prism behind him. “We will keep you safe, Moonbow.”

“You don’t even know if it’s someone dangerous,” Prism said, and moved around Sideswipe. He moved towards the door before they could stop them, and froze as the door opened revealing Bluestreak and Megatron on the other side.

Prism trembled as Bluestreak charged inside, and threw his arms around Prism, “Bitlet! I knew you were alive. Bitlet! Oh, Primus. They said you were dead. It just broke my spark, and no one would listen to me. I //knew// you were alive.”

Prism whimpered, too shocked to put up a struggle, but there was fear in his optics as he looked over Bluestreak’s shoulder. Megatron.

“S-sire,” Prism shrunk away.

Sunstreaker was staring at him in shock at his words, “Moonbow? Sire? What do you-?”

Before Sunstreaker could even finish his question, Megatron threw him against the back wall with Sideswipe following after him. Megatron loomed above the two of them as they tried to regain their footing. “How dare you steal my sparkling!”

They exchanged a look, “What are you talking about?”

“Papas! They didn't steal me. They saved me from the empties. They, they took care of me.”

Megatron scowled, “Prism, why didn’t you return home?! Do you have any idea how worried your carrier has been? We thought you were offline!”

Prism’s doorwings shook, “I d-d-din’t think y-you’d want me. I l-lost my seals.”

Megatron stared, “Of course we want you. You are our bitty. We love you. Bitlet, how could you think of such a thing? We never planned to arrange a political bonding for you.”

“Prism?” Sunstreaker whispered, confused. He looked from Prism to Megatron and back. “You...you lied to us.”

Prism looked away from the twins as he tried to pull himself from Bluestreak’s arms. “Papas! Why are you here? How did you find me?”

“Sparkling? What is wrong? Why are you acting so unhappy we found you?”

“I was happy here, Papa. We were happy here.”

“You don’t belong here,” Megatron growled, “You are our bitlet. You....this should never have happened. You will come home now, to where you are supposed to be.”

Prism finally wiggled free of Bluestreak’s grasp, flinging himself at Sunstreaker’s peds. “Please don’t let them take me away. I love you. I love you both. Please d-d-don’t make me go.”

Sunstreaker just watched him, hurt still in his optics. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would you lie to us? We would have accepted you. We wouldn’t have made you go back.”

“I was scared,” Prism trembled. “O-onslaught w-w-was still online and h-h-he would have found me. He would have hurt you to get me.”

“Child...Onslaught was executed,” Megatron said, “By my own hands.”

Prism stared at Megaton, “H-h-he is gone? No! I don’t believe you! He is still out there! He will find me and make me bond to him! He’ll hurt me again!”

“Onslaught will not harm anyone ever again, Prism. He offlined, slowly and painfully in the area.”

“Are you sure? I don’t know. I-I am afraid. I, the twins have kept me safe. I want to stay with them...if they still want me.”

Sunstreaker looked stunned, “We will always want you. We love you too.”

Bluestreak stared, “You have had him all this time?”

“He told us his name was Moonbow,” Sideswipe said, taking Prism into his arms despite the scowl developing on Megatron’s faceplates. “We found him an alley in the slums....pretty banged up. Got him to a medic and he ended up staying with us.”

“Thank you for saving him,” Bluestreak whispered, “I was so...scared. Everyone said he was offline, but i knew he wasn’t. I could still feel him.” The little Praxian’s door wings wiggled, “I...I wish you had realized sooner. This was my fault. i should never have let us fall out of contact. I---I was foolish.”

Megatron reached over and put an arm around Bluestreak. “You were simply busy. You did not do so deliberately. Come along now Prism. It is time for you to return home. I will make sure that the...twins...are compensated for sheltering you.”

Prism clung tighter to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker moved closer as well, shielding both his twin and Prism from Megatron.

The warlord growled, taking a step closer, “I will not say it again, sparkling. You will come home now. You are not staying here.”

“He can stay here if he wants to,” Sideswipe said. “We were courting him. He loves us.”

Megatron growled, “No. You will come with us. You were never meant to bond. You are far too fragile.”

Prism shook, whimpering, “Don’t y-you want me to be happy, papa? Please don’t do this.”

“Sparkling...”

“I’m not though. I’m grown. I’ve been in my adult frame for a long time papa. I’m o-older than Freefall and Dropzone...and they are getting ready to bond. So is Rapidfire...and Veracity has been f-fooling around with Wingblade for---”

“WHAT?” Megatron shouted.

Prism blushed deeply and clung to Sideswipe. “Forget I said anything. Please, I want to stay here. I love them, Papa. I love them so much. Please.”

Bluestreak moved away from Megatron, “Do you really love them, sweetspark?”

“I do. I love them and they love me even without knowing who I was.”

Megatron growled, “Sparkling! You are going to come home right now!”

“No, Papa! I love Sideswipe and Sunstreaker! I...I want to bond to them!”

“We will keep him safe,” Sunstreaker spoke up. “We have all this time.”

“They have,” Prism said. “Please, papa. Please.”

Megatron grunted. “Come back to the palace and we will discuss it there.”

Prism shook his helm, “You will just make them leave. I’m not a bitlet anymore. It’s not....it’s not like I’m just jumping into this on a whim, papa. Carrier....please talk to him. Please.”

“Bluestreak looked between his sparkling and the twins. “Maybe he is right...my bonded. He is grown. And it is his choice. Wasn’t that what you wanted for us all? The choice to make our own destinies?”

“Now you chose to throw my words back at me?” Megatron said, looking defeated.

Bluestreak stood on the tips of his peds, “I want our sparkling to be happy. We have already almost lost him once. I don’t want to lose him again. He seems happy and the twins are fierce warriors as you well know.”

“They were good warriors.”

Bluestreak looked over at Sunstreaker, “You did a wonderful job on the paintings. Prism looked so beautiful.”

Sunstreaker looked away, “Thank you. He is beautiful, and made it easy.”

“I’m sure he did. I hope you continue using him as a model. I would like to see more such paintings in the future,” Bluestreak smiled, “Perhaps we could make you the court painter...I think that would be appropriate.”

Sunstreaker blinked at his old friend. “If....you want. I mean...yes.”

“Good,” the grey Praxian beamed, taking Megatron’s hand. “Perhaps you could even come to live in the palace. I think that would be a fair compromise.”

“I still have the shop to run,” Sideswipe said, his stance turning stubborn.

“We can set you up with a better shop.”

“I don’t want a better shop, I like the one I have. I built it on my own. We are fine on our own. We may not be rich but we have enough for the three of us.”

Megatron frowned but gave a nod. “Very well. Keep your shop. You will all come to live in the palace though. You can drive to your store or I will provide a mech to bring you there and back each sol.”

Sideswipe frowned back at the warlord and looked like he was going to argue for a moment before he caught the pleading look on Prism’s faceplates. “Fine. I imagine that would make you feel better. Prism is accustomed to living that way, right?”

“He is,” Bluestreak spoke up. “It would make both of us feel better...and it would be safer. I know you can protect him, but it would still be safer in the palace once word gets out.”

Sunstreaker rubbed the space between Prism’s doorwings, “That is what we all want, isn’t it?”

“Indeed. Come along sparkling. Let’s get you home. Your siblings will be to happy to see you!”

 

 

OoOoOoOo

Prism vented hard and shuddered, limp from the effort of delivering their first sparkling. Sunstreaker sat behind him, helping him sit up with a warm arm around him. Prism smiled at Sunstreaker and then at Sideswipe where he sat on the edge of the berth while the medics finished checking their sparkling.

“I can’t wait to hold our sparkling!”

Sideswipe took one of Prism’s hands in his own, “He’s so tiny,” the red mech said, looking shell shocked. “Is he supposed to be that tiny?”

“I was much smaller,” Prism said, with a thoughtful hum. He ached all over, but it was a good kind of ache, and the warmth of Sunstreaker’s chassis behind him did him a world of good.

“You were?” Sideswipe asked, looking like he was going to fall over. “What---I can’t hold him. I might break him!”

Prism did not have to see Sunstreaker to know the mech was rolling his optics, “You are such a glitch-head, Sides.”

The medics came back over and set the small sparkling into Prism’s arms. “Your sparkling is quite healthy, Prince Prism.”

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sighed as they got a good look at their tiny sparkling for the first time. The little sparkling was quite tiny but looked like Prism in miniature. From the tiny helmcrest to tiny doorwings, he was perfect.

“What are you going to name him, Prism?”

Prism smiled and bent over to nuzzle the tiny sparkling’s nose with his own. “I want to name him Moonbow.”

The sparkling let out a little chirp when Prism said his name, his doorwings fluttering.

“I think that is perfect,” Sideswipe said, and leaned in to kiss first Prism’s helm, and then Moonbow’s. “More than perfect, in fact.”

Sunstreaker hugged them both tightly, “We are the luckiest mechs on Cybertron.”

“In the universe,” Sideswipe grinned.

“I am the happiest mech with you two and that is enough for me.” Prism gave them both a gentle smile.

There was a knock on the door, which the medic opened and in walked Megatron and Bluestreak. “So this is your little one! Oh, Megatron, look how tiny and precious he is! He looks just like you Prism!”

Megatron touched the tiny sparkling with a single finger which the sparkling grabbed and cuddled against.

Megatron’s vents caught, “He is the image of you, bitlet. Skydive will be amazed to see him.”

“He will be, I hope,” Prism whispered. “How are the bitlets doing?”

Megatron’s chest puffed up, and Prism couldn’t help but grin at his sire’s apparent pride. “They are doing well. Skydive has them both well in hand. You know what a devoted creators both of my mech’s are.”

Prism beamed, “I know.”

Megatron looked at Sideswipe and Sunstreaker with a stern look. “As long as the two of you care for Prism and this sparkling properly we will have no issues.”

Sunstreaker tightened his grip on Prism while Sideswipe moved so that he was between them and Megatron. “We would never let anything happen to Prism or Moonbow. They are ours.”

“You named him Moonbow? What an adorable name Sparkling.”

“Thank you, Papa.”

Prism smiled down at his sparkling and looked around at his family. He never knew that he could be so happy.

The End

 

 

OoOoOoOo

A/N-

 

 **Starscream/Skyfire-** Stratoburst and Novastar

 

**Megatron/Bluestreak/Skydive-**

Prism(BS/SD)-P

Freefall (SD/MT)- A

Dropzone (SD/MT)-A

Veracity(BS/SD)-P  Wingblade is his guard.

Rapidfire (BS/MT)-Shuttleframe, takes after megatron. Mostly silver coloured.

Paladin (BS/MT)-P

Younlings-

Tempo (BS/MT) 5 vorns- looks a lot like Jazz (Poly-hexian)

Firebomb (SD/MT) A- 4 vorns

Spectrum (BS/MT) P- 2 vorns

Sparklings-

Glimmer (BS/MT) (has not realized is carrying)

Diveroll (SD/MT) (has not announced)

 

 **Skywarp/Fireflight-** Skyflight- Seeker

 

P=Praxian Frame

A=Aerial

 

Who went where-

Blast-off -Silverbolt

Skywarp-Fireflight

Thundercracker-Slingshot

Acid Storm-Air Raid

Starscream-Skyfire

Soundwave-Jazz/Prowl

 


End file.
